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gibrar^: 


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igljtn  in  tj)e  ^rrijjtmes/' 


A  MEMOIR 


OF 


ADOLPH  SAPHIR,  D.D 


BY 

The  Rev.  GAVIK  CAllLYLE,  M.A.  (Edin.) 


"  A  certain  Jew   ...    An  eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in  the 
Scriptures." — Acts  xviii.  24. 


FLEMING    H.   REVELL    COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  CHICAGO  TORONTO 

PUBLISHERS    OF     EVANGELICAL     LITERATURE 


PEEFACE. 

TT  has  been  impossible  to  publish  sooner  the  Memoir 
J-  of  the  lamented  Dr.  Adolph  Saphir.  On  account  of 
his  sudden  death,  which  followed  so  closely  that  of  his 
wife,  there  was  a  delay  in  the  settlement  of  his  affairs; 
and,  consequently,  no  access  could  be  had  to  documents  of 
any  kind  till  about  the  middle  of  last  year — a  year  after 
his  death.  When  I  was  then  asked  to  write  the  Memoir, 
much  time  and  labour  were  required  to  collect  letters 
and  documents  from  friends  and  correspondents  of  Dr. 
Saphir.  But  though  there  has  consequently  been  delay, 
the  Memoir  will,  I  believe  and  hope,  be  not  less  valaed 
by  devoted  friends,  of  whom  he  had  very  many,  nor  less 
interesting  to  the  general  public. 

The  life  of  Dr.  Saphir  was  one  of  remarkable  interest, 

not  so  much  in  its  variety  of  incidents,  as   in   its  early 

associations,  and   in   the  striking  jpersonncl   of  the  man. 

This  is  seen  in  his  thorough  Jewish  type  of  mind  and 

intellect,  intensified  by  the  genius  of  the  Saphir  family,  in 

the  freshness  and  originality  of  his  ideas  and  expressions, 

and  above  all,  in  his  spiritual  power — his  deep  insight 

into  the  meaning  of  Scripture  and  the  relations  of  its 

different  parts. 

•         The    expression,   ''  Mighty    in    the    Scriptures,"    truly 

P  describes  him.      In    his  commanding   knowledge   of  the 

spirit  and  purport  of  the  various  books  of  the  Bible,  few 

-     preachers  of  his  own  or  any  age  approach  him.     He  fore- 

^    shadows  in  this  what  great  results  may  be   anticipated 

o    from  the  promised  restoration  of  Israel. 

\  174755 


IV  PREFACE. 


We  append  to  the  Memoir  three  carefully  chosen 
Sermons  delivered  at  the  three  different  spheres  of  his 
ministry — Greenwich,  Blackheath,  and  Belgravia;  also  a 
Selection  of  Pithy  Sayings  and  Short  Extracts.  These 
Sermons  and  almost  all  the  Extracts  are  i^ublished  for  the 
first  time. 

As  to  Dr.  Saphir's  social  characteristics,  one  who  had 
known  him  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  describes  him 
thus  accurately  :  His  visits  were  increasingly  appreciated 
in  our  family,  revealing  as  they  alwa3^s  did  more  of  his 
wonderful  mind  and  grasp  of  thought,  brightened,  when 
ill-health  did  not  depress  him,  by  that  elasticity  of  spirit 
and  keen  sense  of  humour  wdiich  made  him,  to  his  more 
intimate  friends,  such  a  charming  companion.  His  rare 
wit  and  humour  were  said  to  be  family  characteristics, 
inherited  from  his  father,  and  in  Dr.  Saphir  were  never 
allowed  to  lead  to  the  very  slightest  irreverence  for  sacred 
things.  His  many-sided  intellect  could  quickly  enter  into 
everything  in  Religion,  Literature,  and  Politics ;  he  would 
seem  only  to  glance  into  the  morning  papers  and  would 
at  once  give  you  a  resume  of  everything  in  them. 

We  have  had  many  letters  not  only  expressing  interest 
in  the  publication  of  this  volume,  but  praying  for  God's 
guidance  in  the  preparation  of  it.  We  quote  only  one  of 
them,  from  the  late  Dr.  Andrew  Bonar,  wdio,  when  I 
wrote  to  him  and  then  saw  him,  last  summer  in  Glasgow, 
was  greatly  interested.  "  Dr.  Saphir,"  he  wu'ote,  "  w^as 
indeed  a  Hebrew  of  Hebrews,  in  the  best  sense."  "  May 
the  Lord  give  you  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer,  and  bless 
your  labour  of  love ! " 

Gavin  Carlyle. 


CONTENTS, 


I.     The  Call  of  God. 

The  Deputation  of  the  Church  of  Scotland — Inquiry  as  to  Fields  for  Jewish 
Missions — Visit  to  Pesth — How  brought  about — The  Archduchess  Maria 
Dorothea  and  her  Husband,  the  Prince  Palatine — Dr.  Keith's  Hlness — 
Friendship  of  the  Archduchess,  and  her  promise  of  Protection  to  the 
Mission  ^;,  1 

II,     The  Pesth  Mission. 

"  Rabbi "  Duncan  the  First  Missionary — His  great  Popularity  and  Influ- 
ence among  Jews  and  Christians — Mrs.  R.  Smith  instructs  the  Daughters 
of  the  Archduchess,  viz.  the  present  Queen  of  the  Belgians  and  the 
Mjther  of  the  present  Queen  of  Spain — The  Spirit  of  Inquiry         2^-  9 

III.     The  Saphir  Family. 

The  Three  Brothers — The  Father  of  Adolph,  Israel  Saphir — His  Learning 
and  great  Influence  in  Hungary — The  Simultaneous  Conversion  of 
Father  and  Sou — Adolph's  Avowal  of  his  Faith — Reminiscences  of 
Adolph's  Childhood  by  his  Sister — Dr.  Keith's  Ro[>ort — References  to 
Adolph's  Father — The  Sai)hir  Family     ...          ...          ...          ...         'p.  Ih 

IV.     Baptism  of  the  Saphir  Household, 

Mr.  Saphir,  his  Wife  and  Daughters  and  .Adolph  .baptized  in  June  1843— 
Crowded  Assembl}'  of  Jews  and  others — Impressive  Address  of  the 
Father — Secret  First  Communion — "Sound  of  the  noiseless  steps"' — 
Earnestness  of  Young  Adolph — Impression  in  Hungary  and  Germany 
— Discussion  in  the  Press— Striking  Letter  of  Adolph's  Father         p.  29 

V.     Influence  of  the  Court. 

The  Archduke  and  Archduchess  foster  the  Mission — They  encourage  the 
sending  of  Evangelists  all  through  Hungary— The  Archduke's  Peaceful 
Death  in  1847 — Subsequent  Persecution  of  the  Archduchess — Her  Death 
in  1855         p.  41 

VI.  Adolph's  Departure  from  Pe.sth. 

Adolph  leaves  Pesth  with  Edersheim  and  Tomory — How  they  got  away — 
Edersheim's  Conversion  and  Career — Ra]>id  Progress  of  tlie  IMission— 
Troublous  Times — The  Hungarian  War — Tlie  Fields  ripe  unto  Harvest 
— Expulsion  of  the  Missionaries — Mission  Work  resumed     ...  'p-  47 

VII.  xVdolph's  Education  in  Berlin. 

Adolph  in  Edinburgh — Mrs.  Duncan — Education  in  Berlin,  1844  to  1848 
— Attends  the  Gymnasium — Religious  Difficulties — Letter  to  Mr.  Win- 
gate — Becomes  acquainted  witli  the  Rev.  Theodore  Meyer — Happy 
Influence  of  this  Fricndsliip — Effect  of  hi';  Difficulties  on  his  future 
Doctrine  and  Teaching      ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...        j9.  5S 


vi  CONTENTS. 

VIIL  Philipp  Saphir  and  his  Sister  Elizabeth. 
Memoir  of  Philipp  written  by  Adolpli  when  a  Student  in  Edinburgh 
— Philipp's  early  Carelessness  and  Worldliness — Conversion  and  Baptism 
—  Training  at  CarlsruVie  —  Delicacy  —  Intense  Sufferins^s  —  Starting 
Young  Men's  So<-iety— Opening  of  School  for  Jewish  Children — Its 
Great  Success — His  Joyful  Death — Elizabeth  Saphir  described  by  her 
Sister  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...        p.  65 

IX.  College  Career  in  Scotland. 
Adolph's  Stay  in  Glasgow— Session  1848-9— Tutor  with  Mr.  William 
Brown  in  Aberdeen — Acquaintance  with  WiPiam  Fleming  Stevenson 
— Mutual  Benefit — Great  Influence  of  this  Friendship  on  his  Life — 
Visits  the  Stevensons  in  Strabane — A  Second  Home — His  Description 
of  Stevensoui^,         ...         ...         ...         ...         ..  ...         ...         ^^  90 

X.  Letters  of  Student  Days. 
Letter  to  Kingsley,  and  Reply  of  Kingsley — Letters  to  Donald  Macleod, 
now  Editor  of  Good  Words,  and  others  — Unreal  Orthodox  Phraseology — 
Right  Method  of  studying  Scripture — Union  with  Christ— The  Re- 
action against  Shams  threatening  to  become  itself  a  mighty  Sham — 
German  Literat'.n-e — Striking  Dream — Consciousness  of  Magnetic  Influ- 
ence— Joyousness  of  Easter  and  Pentecost — Ruskin — True  Self-Culture 
— God  the  Source  of  all  Personality — Claudius  and  Manly  Christianity  — 
Mission  Work  begun         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ...         ^a  100 

XL  Ordination  to  the  Jewish  Work. 
Licence  as  a  Preacher,  and  Ordination  in  Belfast — Dr.  Cooke  presides — His 
Marriage — Mrs.  Saphir's  Character  and  Influence — Hamburg — His  Idea 
of  Jewish  Missions — His  Remarkable  Tracts — Israel  Pick's  Influence — 
Threatened  with  Military  Service  by  Austria — His  Views  as  to  Methods 
of  Work  not  sustained  by  the  Mission  Committee— He  resigns  ...  p.  118 

XII.     Ministry  to  Germans  in  GLAsao^v. 
Norman  Macleod's  Interest  and  Friendship — Letter  of  Principal  Brown  on 
his  Work  in  Glasgow — Letters  to  a  Friend — His  Work  among  the  Ger- 
mans—His Anxieties — Jowett's  Book  on  Paul — Birth  of  his  Daughter — 
Call  to  South  Shields       _ ^.127 

XIIL  Beginning  of  Life-Work  in  England. 
Settlement  at  South  Shields— Mr.  J.  C.  Stevenson,  M.P.,  and  Mrs.  Stev- 
enson— His  First  Experimen^s  as  to  the  Method  of  Delivery — The 
Method  adopted — His  Idea  of  Preaching — His  Appearance  and  Manner 
— His  Book  on  Conversion — Rev,  James  Hamilton,  D.D. — Death  of  his 
only  Child  ;a  132 

XIV.  Settlement  at  Greenwich. 
The  Rev.  George  Duncan — The  Congregation — Speedy  Popularity — The 
Church  needs  to  be  enlarged — Letters  to  Mr.  Stevenson,  M.P.,  and 
others  as  to  his  Work— Letters  descriptive  of  Saph'r  and  his  Ministry — 
Edward  Irving— Campbell  of  Row — Sermon  to  Children— Letters  to 
Lady  Kinloch — Joy  in  his  Work — Spiritual  Fruits     ...         ...         _p.  138 

XV.     Literary  Activity. 
His  Literary  Tastes  and  Power — Wide  Knowledge  of  Literature,  German 
and  Englisli — Contributes  to  Good    TFords—l^otes  of  various  Contribu- 
tions and  Extracts — Tour  in  Germany  with  the  Macleods  and  Stevenson 
—His  Tracts— r/i/-  Golden  A  B  C  of  the  Jews,  kc jy.  153 


CONTENTS.  vii 

XV.T.    Fame  in  London. 

Narrative  by  Mr.  James  E,  Mathieson — Address  in  Stafford  Rooms — 
Impression  on  Browulow  North — Address  repeated  in  Hanover  Square 
Rooms— Lord  Shaftesbury — This  Address  the  Basis  of  Christ  and  the 
Scriptures— koXion  as  to  Hymns — Value  as  a  Teacher  ...        p.  l7o 

XVIL       'CliniST   AND   THE   SCRIPTURES.' 

Its  Importance  and  Originality — Short  Survey  of  its  Arguments — The 
Second  Comincf  of  Christ — Opposition  to  the  "  Broad  Church  "  Theology 
— The  Lord's  Prayer — The  Future  Kingdom 7^.180 

XVIII.     Close  of  Ministry  at  Greenwich. 

Sketch  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Saphir  by  Canon  j\IcCormick — His  Health  failing 
— Always  Fragile — Leave  of  Absence  for  a  Year — Typhoid  Fever  in  the 
Engadine — His  Influence  there — Return  in  1871 — Resignation  of  his 
Charge  in  1872 |).  201 

XIX.     BECriNNiNCr  OF  Ministry  in  West  London. 

Purchase  for  him  of  a  large  Church  at  Notting  Hill — Money  obtained  easily 
— Church  at  once  filled — ^^Mcmbers  of  all  Churches  join — His  Thursday 
Lectures  attended  by  numerous  Clerg}^  and  other  Persons  of  Influence — 
Liberal  Supporters  of  the  "Work — Great  Activity  of  the  Congregation — 
Call  to  Scotland — Moody  and  Saukey's  Visit  to  London       ...        ^;,  211 

XX.     Lectures  on  the  Hebrews  and  the  Divinity  of  Christ. 
Majestic  Style  of  the  Epistle— Its  Central  Idea— The  Glory  of  the  New 
Covenant — Christ  and  Moses — The  High-Priesthood  of  Christ— Alleged 
Priesthood  of  the  Clergy— Pauline  Authorship— Lecture  on  the  Divinity 
of  Christ — Jewish  Difficulties— Personal  Testimony p.  2\9> 

XXL     Letters  of  his  Later  Life. 

Comfort  in  Bereavement — The  Church,  what  it  is,  and  Baptism — Princess 
Alice's  Death — Church  Order — Apostolic  Succession — Faith  without  a 
Knowledge  of  the  Spirit's  AVork — The  Fall  and  Redemption^  necessarily 
connected— The  Future  Punishment  Controversy — The  Present  State  of 
the  Churches— Broad  Churchism — ''The  Catholic  Apostolic  Church" — 
Crucified  with  Christ — A  Vicarious  Atonement — Schleiermacher — Separ- 
ation from  the  World — The  Lord's  Day — Perfectionism — A  Free  Gospel 
and  Election — The  Connection  of  the  Present  and  Future  Lives — "The 
Higher  Life" — Dr.  Keith's  Last  Davs — German  Translations  of  the 
Bible— Influence  of  Trial  ...        " T'-  237 

XXII.     Ministry  in  West  London  from  1875  to  1880. 

His  Assistants — Rev.  IT.  E.  Brooke,  Rev,  J.  Stephens,  and  Rev.  J.  H.  Top- 
ping— Lady  Grant — Miss  Cavendish — His  Failure  of  Strength-— Difficul- 
ties— Nervousness — Degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Edinburgh — ■ 
Resignation  in  1880— The  Misses  Jacomb— Brief  Ministry  at  Kensington 

p.  263 

XXIII.  Ministry  in  Belgravia. 
Congregation  of  Halkin  St.— Rev.  J.  T.  Middlemiss  his  Assistant— Extracts 
from  his  Diary,  and  Saphir's  Letters  to  him— Record  of  his  Intercourse 
with  Saphir— Resignation  of  Halkin  St.  Church— Lectures  on  the  Divine 
Unity  of  Scripture— Mr.  Grant  Wilson's  Reminiscences— Letter  to  a 
Servant— A  New  School  Minister— To  whom  are  the  Epistles  addressed  ? 
— Carlyle— A  Family  Affliction- Letters  to  a  Widowed  Niece— Letter 
to  a  Norwegian  Sea-Captain  on  Baptism  ...         ...         ...        ^.273 


viii  CONTENTS. 

XXIV.     Devotion  to  the  Jews  and  Jewish  Mission, 

Love  to  Israel  of  Moses  and  of  Paul — Pauline  Doctrine  of  Israel's  unchang- 
ing Position — What  was  Israel's  Glory  ? — Israel's  Present  Condition — 
Prophecies  fulfilled,  and  Projjhecies  to  be  fulfilled— The  Future  of  Israel 
bright  and  glorious — Israel's  Claim  upon  the  ^entile  Churches — The 
Everlasting  Nation — What  will  be  accomplished  through  Israel — The 
Rabinowich  and  Lichtenstein  Movements — Rev.  C.  A.  Schonberger — 
Delitzsch's  Early  Interest  in  the  Jews — His  Revival  of  Jewish  Missions 
in  Germany — Mr.  Schonberger's  Visits  to  Lichtenstein  and  Rabiiowich 
— The  Establishment  of  the  Rabinowich  Council,  with  Saphir  as  Presi- 
dent— His  Great  Interest  in  the  Work — Jubilee  of  the  Scottish  Jewish 
Mission — Address  at  Mildraay  Jewish  Conference    ...         ...         p,  295 

XXV.     Closing  Days. 

Residence  at  Notting  Hill — Services  sought — Many  Afflictions — Vi.'iit  to 
Bournemouth — Happy  Ministry  there  — Letter  on  Liix  Mundi — Renirn 
Home — Last  Sermon — Mrs.  Saphir's  Death — His  Lt^ters  in  re<mrd  to 
her  Death  and  Funeral — His  own  Sudden  Death  and  Funeral — Rev.  R. 
Taylor's  Funeral  Addres.s — Testimony  of  Rev.  C.  H.  Spurgeon  and 
others — Inscription  on  the  Tombstone  ...         ...         ...         ...        p.  319 

XXV I.     Pithy  Sayings  and  Shoet  Extracts. 

The  Christian's  Walk— What  a  Beautiful  Saviour  I  have— The  Devil's 
Gos[)el — Going  to  Heaven — Little  Steps— Answers  to  Prayer — The  Bible 
and  Nature— The  Penitent  Thief — God  gives  the  Superfluiti-s — Out 
and  Out  Christians— False  and  True  Worship — Union  with  Christ — 
The  Trinity — Beauty  of  Scripture — Jesus  identifying  Himself  with 
Humanity — Preaching,  what  it  is  Heaven's  Inhabitants  —The  A])0.stolic 
Church — The  Cross— Affliction  and  its  Blessed  Influences — Keejiing  the 
Garments  always  White — The  Lord's  Supper  and  the  Passover — As.sur- 
ance — God  in  the  Old  Testament — Union  of  Christians — Joy  precedes 
Peace— The  Wonderful,  Tender  Love  of  God — God  and  Satan— The  Jews 
— Faith  and  Prayer — Genius  anl  Spirituality — The  Body  not  the  Chief 
Centre  of  Sin  The  Apostles  and  Idolatry— The  Apo-tl  s— "  The  World  " 
— Preaching  Christ  according  to  the  Scriptures  —  "  Except  ye  become  as 
Little  Children  " p.  Sil 

The  Christian's  Hope. 
A    Sermon    Preached   in   St.    Mark's    Presb3''tevian    Church,    Greenwich, 
Dec.  31,  1871        p.  384 

The  Feast  of  Pentecost. 
A    Sermon   Preached    in   Trinity   Presbyterian    Church,     Notting    Hill, 
Feb.  17,  1877        p.  403 

The  AVise  Virgins. 
A  Sermon  Preached  in  Belgrave  Presbyterian  Church,  July  1,  1883  /;.  418 

APPENDIX  A. 
Dr.  Keith's  Illness— The  Archduchess      p.  430 

APPENDIX  B. 
Dr.  Duncan's  Wonderful  Influence  in  Pesth p.  437 

APPENDIX  C. 

Dr.  Saphik's  Uncle,  Morttz  G.  Saphir.  Poet  and  Satirist        p.  444 


THE  LIFE  OF  ADOLPH  SAPHIE 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE   CALL   OF   GOD. 

The  Deputation  of  the  Church  of  Scotland — Inquiry  as  to 
Fields  for  Jewish  Missions — Visit  to  Pesth — How  brought 
about — The  Archduchess  Maria  Dorothfa  and  her  Husband, 
the  Prince  Palatine — Dr.  Keith's  Illness — Friendship  of 
the  Archduchess,  and  her  promise  of  Protection  to  the 
Mission. 

THE  life  of  Adolph  Sapliir  is  so  intimately 
associated  with  the  mission  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland,  and,  after  the  "Disruption"  of  1843, 
with  the  mission  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland, 
to  the  Jews  at  Pesth  or  Buda-pest  in  Hungary, 
that  it  is  necessary  to  give  a  short  account  of 
the  most  remarkable  early  history  of  that  mission, 
in  order  to  explain  his  preparation  for  his  future 
work.  The  more  we  consider  the  lives  of  men, 
especicillv  of  those  raised  up  for  important  purposes, 
the  more  clearly  do  we  see  the  Divine  guidance, 
even  in  minute  affairs,  in  preparing  them  for  the 
work,  for  which  they  have  been  specially  designed. 
In  his  case  the  guidance  is  very  clearly  traceable. 


2       THE  FATHER    OF   THE   JEWISH  MISSION. 

In  the  year  1837,  Avhen  there  was  the  beginning 
of  a  great  religious  revival  in  Scotland,  the  Lord 
stirred  up,  in  the  hearts  of  many,  earnest  prayer  for 
Israel.  ''  In  that  year,"  said  Dr.  Andrew  Bonar,"^ 
"  when  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  was 
near  at  hand,  a  goodly  band  of  ihQ  friends  of  Israel 
consulted  together,  and  a  memorial  was  drawn  up 
by  Mr.  E.  Wodrow  and  presented  to  the  Assembly, 
l^ressing  on  them  the  claims  of  that  ancient  nation. 
The  memorial  was  favourably  received.'' 

The  father  of  the  Jewish  mission  was  this  Mr. 
Wodrow  of  Glasgow.  Long  before  the  deputation 
was  sent  out  in  1839,  as  appeared  after  his  death 
from  his  private  journal,  he  was  accustomed  to 
devote  whole  days  to  fasting  and  prayer  on  behalf 
of  Israel.  The  hearts  of  others  were  kindled.  A 
widespread  interest  was  awakened.  He  addressed 
a  most  powerful  "  appeal  to  the  children  of  Israel 
in  all  the  lands  of  their  dispersion,"  which  was 
circulated  extensively.  His  wife,  after  his  death, 
visited  many  of  the  Continental  towns,  where  Jews 
were  most  numerous,  circulating  this  letter.  It  has 
been  recently  republished  with  a  preface  by  Dr. 
Andrew  Bonar.  Mr.  Wodrow  died  on  June  27, 
1843. 

The  immediate  cause  of  the  sending  of  this 
deputation  or  commission  of  inquiry  was  a  sug- 
gestion of  the  late  Dr.  Candlish.     The  well-known 

^  Since  this  was  written,  Dr.  Andrew  Bonar,  beloved  of 
all  who  knew  him, — so  childlike  in  faith,  and  yet  so  able 
and  accomplished, — one  of  the  warmest  advocates  of  .Jewish 
missions,  has  been  suddenly  taken  to  his  rest. 


FIELDS  FOR   JEWISH  MISSIONS. 


Eobert  M'Cheyne  was  threatened  with  consumption, 
and  he  had  been  ordered  to  seek  a  railder  climate. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Moody  Stewart  said  at  the  Jewish 
Mission  Jubilee  in  1889: — "It  occurs  to  me  as 
vividly  as  if  it  had  been  yesterday,  when  I  met 
Dr.  Candlish  one  afternoon  in  Ainslie  Place,  and 
we  spoke  of  Eobert  M'Cheyne  having  been  advised 
to  go  abroad  for  his  health.  The  conversion  of 
Israel,  in  which  Dr.  Candlish  was  deeply  inter- 
ested, had  already  been  taken  up  by  the  General 
Assembly,  but  without  the  adoption  of  any  practical 
steps.  With  the  sanctified  fertility  of  resource  that 
characterized  him,  he  said  to  me,  '  Don't  you  think 
it  might  be  well  to  send  jM'Cheyne  to  Palestine  to 
inquire  into  the  state  of  the  Jews?' — to  which  I 
cordially  assented,  and  he  followed  it  up,  with  all 
his  promptness  and  ardour." 

Out  of  this  suggestion  there  arose  the  idea  of 
a  deputation  to  visit  Palestine,  and  other  countries 
with  Jewish  populations,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
inquiries  and  investigations,  and  selecting  the  best 
fields  of  labour.  The  deputation  appointed  at  the 
General  Assembly  of  1838,  was  composed  of  four 
remarkable  men, — two  of  them  of  age  and  experi- 
ence. They  were  Dr.  Keith  of  St.  Cyrus,  famed 
for  his  book  on  fulfilled  prophecy ;  Dr.  Black, 
Professor  of  Divinity  in  Aberdeen  ;  Mr.  M'Cheyne  ; 
and  Mr.  Andrew  Bonar.  The  deputation  sailed 
from  Dover  on  the  morning  of  April  5,  1839. 
The  story  of  its  labours  was  published  in  1842, 
under   the    title    of  A   Narrative    of  a    Mission 


JESUITICAL   PERSECUTIONS. 


of  Enquiry  to  the  Jews.  It  excited  great 
interest  at  the  time ;  and,  even  now,  after  the 
lapse  of  so  many  years  and  the  immense  increase 
of  knowledo^e  as  res^ards  Palestine,  this  book  holds 
its  place,  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  records 
of  travel  in  the  sacred  territory.  No  travellers, 
before  or  since,  have  entered  so  fully  into  the  spirit 
of  the  scenes,  recalling  easily  and  naturally,  as  they 
visited  them,  the  sacred  impressions  with  which 
they  are  associated.  M'Cheyne's  beautiful  poem 
on  the  lake   of  Galilee  can  never  be  forgotten. 

The  Church  of  Scotland  had  no  idea  of  estab- 
lishing a  mission  in  any  part  of  the  Austrian 
Empire,  as  its  Government  was  at  that  time  so 
intolerant  as  to  make  any  such  attempt  appear  hope- 
less. The  deputation  of  inquiry  did  not  therefore 
even  propose  to  visit  Hungary,  although  it  was  well 
known  that  there  was  a  very  large  Jewish  population 
there.  Hungary,  with  its  dependencies,  Tran- 
sylvania and  Croatia,  contains  altogether  a  popula- 
tion of  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  millions  of  people. 
Almost  the  whole  country  embraced  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Eeformation  at  first,  but  terrible  and 
crushing  persecutions  arose,  by  which  the  Jesuits 
nearly  stamped  out  Protestantism.  The  number  of 
Protestants  was  reduced  from  an  overwhelming 
majority  to  a  small  minority  of  the  population. 
At  present  they  are  reckoned  under  three  millions. 
In  1841  the  spirit  of  Kationalism  had  undermined 
the  Protestant  Church. 

P>ut    God    had    other    purposes,    which    in    His 


DR.    BLACK'S   ACCIDENT. 


providence  He  accomplished  in  a  wonderful  way. 
As  the  deputies  were  travelling  on  camels  from 
Egypt  across  to  Palestiue,  Dr.  Black,  falling  asleep 
on  the  back  of  his  camel,  slipped  down  on  the 
sand.  "  It  seemed,"  says  Dr.  Bonar,  speaking  at  the 
Jubilee  meeting  of  1889,  ''an  ordinary  accident,  and 
after  returning  home  I  met  Dr.  Guthrie,  who  said 
to  me,  in  his  own  humorous  way  :  '  But  tell  me 
about  our  old  friend,  the  Professor  from  Aberdeen, 
what  kind  of  impression  did  he  make  on  the 
sand?'"  He  could  not  tell  him  much  as  to  the 
impression  on  the  sand ;  but  it  was  that  fall, 
proving  more  serious  in  its  effects  than  was  thought 
at  the  time,  which  led  Dr.  Black  and  Dr.  Keith  to 
take  the  route  homeward  by  the  Danube.  They 
reached  Pesth  as  mere  passing  travellers,  but 
resolved  to  make  some  inquiry  as  to  the  number 
and  state  of  the  Jews  in  that  city. 

Strangely  enough,  the  wife  of  the  Archduke 
Joseph,  uncle  to  the  Emperor,  and  Viceroy  of 
Hungary,  by  birth  a  Princess  of  the  Protestant 
House  of  Wlirtemburg,  residing  at  that  time  in 
her  husband's  (the  Prince  Palatine's)  palace,  was 
expecting  the  arrival  of  some  stranger,  who  would 
bring  with  him  a  blessed  influence  to  Hungary. 
The  Archduchess  Maria  Dorothea  had  been  brought 
to  an  earnest  love  of  the  truth,  some  years  before, 
through  no  human  instrumentality.  Having  to  pass 
through  the  deep  waters  of  affliction,  in  the  death 
of  a  much-loved  son,  she  had  betaken  herself  to  the 
Bible,  and  "  in  the  Bible  she  met  with  Jesus."    She 


6  THE  ARCHDUCHESS'S   ANXIOUS  HOUR. 

was  attached  to  Hungary,  and  became  intensely 
interested  in  its  spiritual  welfare.  She  stood  alone, 
"  like  a  sparrow  on  the  housetop,'  as  she  used  her- 
self to  say.  Her  eldest  boy,  who  had  become  a 
true  Christian,  was  early  removed  from  her.  In 
her  solitude  she  prayed  earnestly  for  a  Christian 
friend  and  counsellor.  "  The  palace  in  which  she 
resided  stands  on  an  eminence,  looking  down  on 
the  Danube  flowing  beneath,  and  on  the  city  of 
Pesth,  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river.  Her 
private  boudoir  lay  towards  the  front  of  the  building. 
There,  in  the  deep  embrasure  of  a  window,  she  was 
accustomed,  day  by  day,  to  pour  out  her  supplica- 
tions to  God — looking  down  on  the  scene  below — 
the  city  with  its  100,000  inhabitants,  and  the  vast 
Hungarian  plains  stretching  away  behind  it  in  the 
distance.  For  about  the  space  of  seven  years  she 
had  been  praying  to  God  for  the  arrival  of  some 
one  who  would  carry  the  gospel  to  the  people 
around."  "Sometimes  her  desire  became  so  intense 
that,  stretching  out  her  arms  towards  heaven,  she 
prayed  almost  in  an  agony  of  spirit  that  God 
would  send  at  least  one  messenger  of  the  Cross  to 
Hungary."  Dr.  Keith  learned  afterwards  from  her 
own  lips  that  during  the  fortnight  before  she  had 
heard  of  his  illness,  she  invariably  awoke,  night 
after  night,  with  the  exception  of  once,  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  at  the  same  hour,  with  a 
strong  and  irrepressible  conviction  that  something 
was  to  happen  to  her.  After  a  watchful  and  most 
anxious  hour,  it  passed  away,  when  she  had  her 


DR.    KEITH'S  ILLNESS. 


usual  and  undisturbed  rest,  and  hearing  of  the 
seemingly  dying  minister  of  Christ  at  the  hotel, 
she  said  within  herself,  '*  This  is  what  was  to 
happen  to  me  "  :  and  from  that  night  her  sleep 
was  unbroken  by  any  disturbing  thought.  In  that 
impression  lay  the  key  wdiereby  a  door  was  opened 
in  Pesth.  When  Dr.  Keith  recovered,  and  learned 
from  the  Archduchess  the  story  of  her  longings  and 
prayers,  he  had  not  much  difficulty  in  seeing  the 
hand  of  God,  plainly  directing  their  journey,  and 
bringing  them  as  Christ's  messengers  to  Hungary. 

Dr.  Keitb  lay  for  weeks  in  a  state  of  extreme 
prostration.  "  At  one  stage  of  his  illness,"  he 
relates,  "  I  fainted  away,  I  became  insensible,  w^hile 
two  men  waited  by  my  bedside  to  carry  me  away, 
as  soon  as  I  should  breathe  my  last.  At  this  time  the 
only  sigu  of  life  w^as  in  the  dimness  of  a  mirror 
held  close  to  my  face."^  The  Archduchess  came  to 
his  bedside,  and  ministered  to  him  with  her  ow^n 
hands,  and  watched  tenderly  over  him.  As  he 
became  better,  he  had  ample  opportunity  of  becom- 
ing acquainted,  from  her,  with  the  state  of  the  Jews 
in  Hungary,  and  also  with  the  religious  w^ants  of 
Hungary  itself.  He  received  from  her  the  assur- 
ance that,  should  the  Church  of  Scotland  consent 
to  plant  a  mission  in  Pesth,  she  would  protect  it 
to  the  utmost  of  her  power. 

The  hand  of  God  was  surely  manifest  in  all  these 

^  In  Appendix  A,  we  give  a  description  of  this  illness  and 
the  events  accompanying  it,  as  written  by  Dr.  Keith  himself 
for  the  Sunday  at  Home  of  1867. 


PESTH  MISSION  RESOLVED    UPON. 


events.  The  fall  from  the  camel  of  Dr.  Black  ;  the 
detention  by  illness  of  Dr.  Keith  in  Pesth,  which 
there  had  not  been  the  smallest  intention  of  even 
visiting,  as  the  idea  of  a  mission  in  Austria  or 
Hungary  was  considered  out  of  the  question  ;  the 
prayers  of  the  Archduchess  and  her  expectation  of 
the  arrival  of  some  British  missionary ;  her  discovery 
of  Dr.  Keith  and  many  conversations  with  him  ;  her 
earnest  desire  that  the  mission  should  be  established, 
and  her  promises  of  protection  to  it — furnish  a 
chain  of  events  which  cannot  be  explained,  apart 
from  the  direct  guidance  of  God.  The  most 
sceptical  would  show  only  their  own  folly  and 
narrowness,  in  attempting  to  deny  such  guidance 
in  the  circumstances.  The  origin  of  the  mission 
was  not  of  man,  but  of  God.  The  call  resembled 
that  in  the  vision  of  the  man  of  Macedonia  to  the 
Apostle  Paul,  "  Come  over  and  help  us." 

This  was  clearly  recognized  by  Dr.  Keith.  After 
his  recovery  and  return  he  urged  the  importance 
of  Pesth  as  a  mission  centre, — at  first  without  much 
success.  But  he  urged  it  again  and  again,  so  that 
some  spoke  of  it  as  Dr.  Keith's  pest.  He  suc- 
ceeded at  last.  The  mission  to  Pesth  was  resolved 
upon,  and  was  begun,  after  the  lapse  of  a  year, 
with  far-reaching  and  blessed  results  to  Adolph 
and  the  Sapliir  family,  and  the  Jewish  work- 
throughout  the  world. 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE   PESTH  MISSION. 

"Eabbi"  Duncan  the  First  Missionary — His  great  Popularity 
and  Influence  among  Jews  and  Christians — Mrs.  R. 
Smith  instructs  the  Daughters  of  the  Archduchess,  viz.  the 
present  Queen  of  the  Belgians  and  the  Mother  of  the 
present  Queen  of  Spain — The  Spirit  of  Inquiry. 

THE  first  mission aiy  to  the  Jews  in  Pesth  was 
a  man  whose  fame  is  in  all  the  Churches — Dr. 
Duncan,  or  Eabbi  Duncan,  as  he  was  afterwards 
afi'ectionately  called  when  Professor  of  Hebrew  in 
Edinburgh,  regarding  whose  absence  of  mind  many 
strange  and  extraordinary  tales  are  told,  as  of  the 
great  Neander  in  Germany.  He  was  not  only  a 
great  Hebrew  scholar,  but  a  man  of  profound  philo- 
sophic insight,  who  had  been  almost  an  infidel  in 
his  earlier  days,  and  who  was  the  more  powerful  in 
his  defence  of  truth,  on  account  of  the  difficulties 
through  which  he  had  then  passed.  His  thorough 
knowledg-e  of  Hebrew  was  fitted  to  o;ain  him 
influence  among  the  Jews,  and  he  could  converse 


10      CORDIAL   RECEPTION   OF  THE  MISSION. 

fluently  in  Latin,  which  was  then  much  used  in 
conversation  by  the  learned  in  Hungary,  both 
Jews  and  Christians.  It  was ,  even  the  language 
of  parliamentary  debates.  Dr.  Duncan  having 
been  set  apart  in  Ghxsgow,  in  May,  for  this 
mission  work,  reached  his  destination  on  August 
21,  1841,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Smith  and  Mr. 
Allen.  Mr.  Wingate  arrived  later.  There  was  a 
strange  mysterious  expectation  of  success  from 
the  very  beginning.  "  When,"  says  Mr.,  now 
Dr.  Smith,  "  we  took  our  departure  for  our  future 
home,  we  felt  wafted  along  by  the  breath  of 
prayer." 

They  were  received  by  the  Archduchess  with 
great  cordiality.  She  at  once  visited  them,  and 
they  were  frequently  guests  at  the  Palace.  Thus 
their  position  was  made  secure.  Without  her  pro- 
tection, or  rather  that  of  her  husband  the  Archduke 
Joseph,  the  Palatine,  they  could  not  have  remained 
for  a  month.  Even  with  that  protection  it  would 
have  been  difficult,  as  the  position  of  a  foreign 
missionary  or  minister  could  not  then  be  legally 
recognized,  had  there  not  happened  to  be  in  Pesth 
a  number  of  English  workmen,  employed  at  the 
time  in  building  a  bridge.  Services  were  begun 
for  them,  in  a  room  prepared  for  the  purpose.  This 
furnished  an  ostensible  reason  for  the  residence  of 
the  missionaries.  They  dared  not,  at  that  period, 
mention  the  name  of  the  Archduchess  in  the 
correspondence,  as  the  authorities  in  Vienna  would 
have  taken  alarm.     She,  however,  was  constantly 


'RABBV  DUNCAN'S  POPULARITY.  11 

interviewed  by  them,  and  both  she  and  the  Palatine 
knew  well  all  they  were  doing.  Mrs.  Smith,  wife 
of  one  of  the  missionaries,  was  employed  in  teach- 
ing two  of  her  daughters  English — one  of  them 
now  Queen  of  the  Belgians,  the  other,  the  mother 
of  the  present  Queen  of  Spain.  The  Archduchess 
w^as  compelled  by  the  Imperial  law  to  bring  them 
up  as  Eoman  Catholics,  but  she  taught  them  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  sought  earnestly,  and  with 
much  prayer,  to  impress  on  them  the  truths  of 
the  gospel. 

Services  were  held  on  the  Lord's  Day,  in  English, 
and  a  number  of  Jews  and  others  soon  began  to 
attend  them,  partly  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting 
their  knowledge  of  English.  Dr.  Duncan  very  soon 
got  into  intercourse  with  distinguished  Jews,  in- 
cluding the  Chief  Kabbi,  and  also  with  leading 
pastors  of  the  Protestant  Hungarian  Church,  and 
even  with  influential  priests  of  the  Romish  Church. 
He  became  engaged  in  keen  controversy  with 
Jewish  theologians.  He  acquired  great  respect 
among  the  learned  men  of  the  Jews,  on  account 
of  his  intimacy  with  their  language  and  literature. 
He  took  an  interest  in  their  schools,  and  attended, 
by  special  invitation,  the  public  examination, 
taking  part  in  it,  and  giving  prizes.  He  gave 
for  prizes  two  Hebrew^  Bibles  and  two  Torahs, 
which  being  by  far  the  best  prizes  given,  were 
much  admired,  especially  as  coming  from  the 
Eng^lish  "  Geistlicher."  The  Doctor  also  gave 
the  head-master  an   English    Bible,  including    of 


PROGRESS   OF  DR.    DUNCAN'S    WORK. 


course,  the  New  Testament.  The  Chief  Eabbi 
(Schwab)  was  inclined  to  be  most  friendly.  Dr. 
Duncan  and  all  his  assistants  were  invited  to 
attend  the  initiation  of  a  young  Jew.  Dr.  Duncan 
was  also  invited  by  the  Chief  Eabbi  to  the 
marriage  of  his  daughter  with  a  young  Eabbi, 
and  the  bridegroom  expressed  his  delight  at 
seeing  a  man  of  whose  fame  he  had  heard  so 
much.-^ 

Dr.  Duncan  wrote  from  Pesth  in  regard  to  his 
work — "  It  has  not  been  with  Jews,  but  with  Deists 
we  have  had  to  do.  The  main  effort  has  been 
to  maintain  the  true  and  proper  inspiration  of 
Scripture,  in  opposition  to  the  ignis  fatuus  of 
rationalizing  mysticism ;  everything  great  and 
good,  they  say,  is  a  development  of  the  human 
mind  progressing  to  its  perfection,  which  as  it 
does  under  a  Divine  government,  every  such  ad- 
vance may  be  called  a  Divine  revelation." 

The  close  connection  which  Dr.  Duncan  showed 
to  exist  between  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
attracted  especial  attention  among  the  Jews.  The 
notion  had  been  almost  universal  that  the  Jews 
had  one  Bible,  and  the  Christians  another.  It  was 
no  uncommon  thing  to  hear  a  Christian  and  a  Jew 
dispute,  on  the  comparative  merits  of  the  two 
Bibles.  It  was  interesting  to  witness  the  surprise 
of  the  Jews  when  they  heard  that  St.  Paul  based 
his  system  upon   Moses,  found   language    for    his 

^  For  further  information  as  to  the  great  impression  made 
by  Dt-.  Duncan,  see  Appendix  B, 


THE  SPIRIT   OF  INQUIRY.  l3 

aspirations  in  the  writings  of  David,  and  was 
cheered  by  the  bright  visions  of  the  future  glory 
of  his  nation,  as  portrayed  by  Isaiah.  All  this 
roused  the  spirit  of  inquiry.  His  sermons  were 
listened  to  with  great  attention,  and  produced  no 
small  effect.  Besides  this,  his  conversations,  his 
simple,  earnest  unfolding  of  the  deepest  truths, 
were  much  appreciated.  The  influence  which  he 
acquired  in  a  short  time  was  extraordinary.  Mr. 
Wingate  wrote  : — Few  stations  are  more  difficult 
of  access  from  the  nature  of  the  laws,  and  few 
require  more  peculiar  qualifications,  when  once  in 
the  country ;  eminent  Christian  prudence,  native 
courteousness  of  manner,  with  that  self-denial  which 
enables  a  man  to  exhibit  aflPability  at  all  times  and 
seasons,  to  men  who  may  come  on  the  most  trifling 
and  unimportant  matters,  with  such  an  amount  of 
learning  and  acquirements  as  place  him,  in  secular 
learning,  on  a  footing  with  the  most  accomplished 
worldlings.  Such  qualities  meet  in  Dr.  Duncan, 
and  they  have  been  so  appreciated  and  blessed  by 
the  Lord,  and  ivcdls  of  prejudices  have  been  so 
broken  down  in  one  short  year,  that  his  society  is 
courted,  and  his  influence  in  the  city  has  already 
become  great  for  piety  and  learning. 

Dr.  Duncan's  stay  did  not  last  very  long.  In 
a  year  he  had  to  get  leave  of  absence  on  account  of 
failure  of  health,  when  he  went  to  Italy  to  recruit. 
After  his  return,  and  a  short  second  period  at 
Pesth,  he  was  recalled  to  Scotland  to  become  the 
first  Professor  of   Hebrew  in  the   Free  Church  of 


U  GOOD   IMPRESSIONS  MADE. 

Scotland,  which  had  just  been  constituted.  The 
impression  he  had  made  did  not  pass  away.  The 
colleagues  whom  he  left,  the  Kev.  E.  Smith  and 
the  Eev.  W.  Wingate,  were  well  fitted  to  sustain 
it.  A  visit  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Schwartz,  well 
known  as  a  missionary  to  his  Jewish  kindred,  who 
preached  in  German,  produced  a  great  effect,  and 
the  work,  which  had  almost  from  the  very  first  had 
most  remarkable  results,  continued  to  extend  and 
prosper.  The  impression  Dr.  Duncan,  had  made 
was  not  forgotten  by  Jews  or  Gentiles,  Protestants 
or  Roman  Catholics. 


15 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE   SAPHIR  FAMILY. 

The  Three  Brothers — The  Father  of  Adolph,  Israel  Saphir — 
His  Learning  and  great  Influence  in  Hungary — The  Simul- 
taneous Conversion  of  Father  and  Son — Adolph's  Avowal 
of  his  Faith' -Reminiscences  of  Adolph's  Cliildhood  by  his 
Sister — Dr.  Keith's  Report — References  to  Adolph's  lather 
— The  Saphir  Family. 

ONE  family  began  to  be  frequently  referred  to 
in  the  letters  of  the  missionaries.  It  was 
a  family  well  known  in  Hungary,  and  greatly  re- 
spected by  the  Jews.  For  two  generations  at  least 
it  had  been  much  distinguished.  The  grandfather 
of  Adolph  Saphir  was  learned  in  the  Jewish  law, 
and  had  much  influence  among  his  co-religionists. 
He  had  three  sons,  one  of  whom  became  famous 
through  all  Germany  as  a  wit  and  poet,  being  by 
many  considered  the  fitting  successor  of  the  re- 
nowned Jean  Paul  Eichter.  His  name  was  Moritz, 
originally  Moses,  Gottlieb  Saphir.^  He  is  recognized 
as  one  of  the  great  literary  men  of  the  period,  and 
long  biographies  appear  of  him  in  most  German 
biographical    dictionaries.     His  wit   was  so    sharp 

1  For  an  interesting  sketch,  written  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
in  a  journal  which  he  founded,  and  owned  to  the  last,  see 
Appendix  C. 


16  ADOLPIl   DESCRIBES   HIS  EAT  HER. 

and  pungent  that  he  had  to  leave  several  States, 
in  which  he  gave  offence  to  the  petty  rulers. 
Israel  Saphir,  the  father  of  Adolph,  was  the  eldest 
of  the  three  brothers.  He  was  a  merchant,  origin- 
ally a  wool-broker — a  man  of  good  education,  of  a 
studious  nature,  well  up  in  Hebrew  and  in  Hebrew 
law,  and  accomplished  in  many  departments  of 
knowledge  and  science.  He  was  most  active  as 
an  educationist.  He  projected  and  carried  out  an 
educational  institute  in  Pesth,  with  a  staff'  of  eight 
professors,  in  which  the  children  of  the  better 
classes  were  educated.  Adolph  thus  describes  his 
father — "  My  father,  Israel  Saphir,  a  brother  of  the 
w^ell-known  writer,  M.  G.  Saphir,  was  a  merchant. 
He  was  a  good  Hebrew  scholar,  and  had  intimate 
knowledge  of  German,  French,  and  English  litera- 
ture. He  also  jDursued  with  zeal,  philosophical  and 
theological  studies,  and  rendered  much  service  to 
the  cause  of  education  in  Hungary."  The  third 
brother  was  also  a  man  of  ability,  father  of  one  of 
the  PTcatest  linoaiists  of  the  day  who  is  now  at  the 
head  of  the  Oriental  University  Institute  at  Woking. 
Adolph's  father  was  well  known  among  all  the 
Jews  of  Hungary.  When  Dr.  Keith  lay  ill  in  Pesth, 
he  made  especial  inquiry  for  some  one  of  respect- 
ability, intelligence,  and  candour,  on  whom  he  could 
thoroughly  depend  for  information  respecting  the 
state  of  the  Jews.  He  was  at  once  emphatically 
told  that  there  was  no  man  like  Saphir,  from  whom 
he  could  get  the  requisite  information — that  he 
was  looked  up  to  by  the  Jews  as  the  most  learned 


THE  FATHER    OF  ADOLPH.  17 


person  amoDg  them.  Accordingly  he  saw  him, 
and  had  much  conversation  with  him.  His  habits 
were  literary.  He  was  a  master  of  German  litera- 
ture. When  the  mission  was  commenced,  he  had 
just  begun  to  study  English.  Actuated  chiefly  by 
a  desire  to  advance  his  knovvledo^e  of  Eno-lish,  he 
appeared  regularly  at  the  services  of  Dr.  Duncan, 
leading  his  son  Adolph,  then  eleven  or  twelve  years 
of  age,  by  the  hand.  Gradually  the  truth  reached 
his  heart,  and  he  recognized  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
the  Messiah  foretold  by  the  prophets.  His  little 
son,  with  an  intellect  always  keen,  became  con- 
vinced at  the  same  time ; — both,  however,  being 
reticent  on  the  subject.  The  silent  influences  were 
brought  to  light  in  a  very  unexpected  way,  and  by 
the  action  of  the  son.  One  morning  Adolph  re- 
quested his  father  to  allow  him  to  ask  the  blessing 
at  breakfast.  On  permission  being  given,  he  poured 
out  an  earnest,  short  prayer,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  consternation  in  the  family, 
and  shortly  thereafter  in  the  Jewish  quarter,  where 
they  lived,  was  great.  "  By  and  by,"  says  Mr. 
Wingate,  who  gives  this  account,  *•  we  heard  that 
the  Jews  were  saying  that  the  Holy  Ghost  had 
fallen  on  Saphir's  son,  and  that  he  expounded  the 
Scripture  as  they  had  never  heard  it  expounded 
before."  Adolph  himself  makes  this  reference — 
"  Through  the  instrumentality  of  Scotch  mission- 
aries my  father  saw  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  was  received  into  the  Christian  Church 
in  1843,  at  the  age  of  sixty- three  years.     I,  at  that 


IS  REMINISCENCES   OF 


time  a  lad  in  my  twelfth  year,  was  the  first  of  our 
family  to  accept  the  gospel." 

Mrs.  Schonberger,  nee  Johanna  Saphir — the  only 
surviving  sister  of  Dr.  Saphir — has  written  for  us 
the  following  reminiscences  of  his  childhood  : — 

Adolph  Saphir  was  by  nature  of  an  unusually 
delicate  constitution,  and  very  often  his  parents 
were  in  great  anxiety  as  to  the  way  and  means  to 
keep  the  child  alive.  After  a  few  years  of  great 
care  and  studied  attention  he  seemed  to  get  on 
fairly  well.  Adolph  was  considered  a  very  good- 
lookiug  child,  with  a  fair,  transparent  complexion, 
beautiful,  large,  blue  eyes,  full  of  intelligence  and 
expression.  His  father  was  devoted  to  him,  and, 
as  he  occupied  a  prominent  position  at  one  of  the 
first  and  best  private  schools  at  Buda-pest,  he  w^as 
most  anxious  to  send  his  little  son  Adolph  to  that 
school  at  the  age  of  four  years,  not  so  much  for 
learning,  but  simply  for  the  purpose  of  amusement, 
to  divert  his  active  little  mind. 

The  teacher,  however,  soon  became  aware  of 
the  fact  that  the  child  was  not  only  amusing  him- 
self, but  was  taking  in  every  ivord  he  heard.  To 
the  great  astonishment  of  the  teacher,  the  child 
was  able  to  answer  all  his  questions. 

The  brilliant  result  ought  to  have  made  his 
father  remove  him  at  once  from  school ;  but  this 
was  not  done,  and  his  great  mental  activity  there, 
at  such  an  age,  may  in  some  measure  account  for 
his   nervousness   in   later   life.      From    that    time 


ADOLPH  SAPHIRS    CHILDHOOD.  19 

little  Adolpli  was  considered  quite  a  genius — 
an  example  to  all  the  children.  He  was  the  first 
and  best  scholar  in  the  school,  passing  all  examin- 
ations with  honour,  and  getting  the  first  prizes,  to 
the  great  joy  and  satisfaction  of  his  teachers,  and 
also  to  the  astonishment  of  the  audiences  present 
at  the  examinations. 

He  passed  the  sixth  form  at  the  age  of  nine 
years,  and  his  father  removed  him  from  school,  as 
this  was  the  highest  and  last  class.  But  now  a 
great  difiiculty  arose,  as  to  how  and  in  what  method 
to  proceed  with  his  education — he  being  still  too 
young  to  attend  the  University. 

In  the  meantime  little  Adolph  was  as  anxious 
as  his  father.  He  was  thirsting  after  more  pro- 
gress in  all  branches  of  hio^her  knowleds^e,  and 
a  teacher  was  found  who  was  a  master  in  Greek 
and  Latin,  and  all  that  was  fitted  to  arouse  his 
mind  and  intellect.  After  private  study  with  this 
teacher  for  two  years,  he  was  ready  to  pass  an 
examination,  at  the  Gymnasium  of  Bada-pest. 
The  result  w^as  a  great  triumph.  The  professors 
were  startled  with  his  knowledge,  at  so  early  an 
age,  and  could  not  say  enough  in  regard  to  his 
abilities,  uncommon  intelligence,  and  impressiveness 
for  everything  good  and  noble. 

At  the  age  of  eight  he  wrote  German  poems, 
which,  to  the  regret  of  the  family,  were  lost. 

The    most    strikino-    features    in     his    character 

o 

were  his  gentleness  and  humility,  and  his  strong 
affection  for  his  parents,  especially  for  his  mother. 


20  ADOLPWH   CURIOUS   ACCIDENT. 

He  never  gave  cause  for  dissatisfaction,  and  thus 
lie  was  never  punished  in  any  way.  The  writer  of 
this  sketch  only  remembers  one  occasion,  when  his 
mother  seemed  displeased  with  him.  Noticing  it, 
he  suddenly  knelt  down  before  her,  imploring  her 
to  forgive  him,  with  the  most  solemn  promise  that 
he  would  be  very  good  in  future.  This  was  a 
most  affecting  and  touching  incident,  not  to  be 
easily  forgotten. 

He  was  of  such  a  refined  and  delicate  mind  that 
anything  which  was  in  the  least  contrary  to  his 
impression  of  right,  young  as  he  was,  made  him 
feel  quite  miserable  and  sad.  He  suffered,  during 
his  early  studies,  from  an  accident.  A  heavy 
weight  of  one  of  the  large  clocks,  that  come 
from  the  Black  Forest,  fell  on  his  head,  when  he 
was  alone  in  the  room.  He  was  found  lying  on 
the  ground,  quite  stunned  by  the  heavy  blow. 
Fortunately  his  tutor,  who  happened  to  be  also  a 
doctor,  came  to  the  rescue,  and  after  some  time  he 
seemed  himself  again.  This  accident,  the  writer  of 
this  sketch  thinks,  must  have  told  on  him  all  his 
life  long,  as  his  head  was  especially  delicate  and  the 
cause  of  suffering. 

Little  Adolph  was  favoured  and  loved  by  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  and  even  now  he  is  remembered  and 
honoured  in  his  native  town,  after  nearly  halt  a 
century.  His  sister  concludes  her  sketch  by  noticing 
his  studies  at  Berlin,  and  his  connection  with  the 
Irish  Jewish  Mission  at  Hamburg — events  to  which 
we  shall  refer  afterwards — and  then  adds  : — Little 


THE  GREAT  MOVEMENT  IN  PEST  IT.  21 


Adolph  hardly  associated  when  young  with  any 
of  his  school-fellows.  He  was  shy  and  very  timid, 
easily  frightened  when  the  boys  were  rough  and 
rude — and  he  thus  rather  kept  aloof.  After  his 
baptism  some  of  his  little  Jewish  school-fellows 
mocked  and  ridiculed  him  for  becoming  a  Christian. 
He,  however,  replied  with  so  much  dignity  and 
decision  that  they  were  soon  silenced,  and  became 
in  fact  ashamed  of  their  attacks. 

And  now  we  come  to  the  great  movement  in 
Pesth,  and  its  effect  on  the  Saphir  family.  We 
have  spoken  of  the  deep  impression  made  by  the 
services  and  conversations  of  Dr.  Duncan  and  his 
coadjutors,  Messrs.  Wingate  and  Smith.  Dr.  Smith 
thus  describes  the  early  progress  ^ : — About  mid- 
summer in  1842,  the  little  company  was  greatly 
quickened  by  a  visit  from  various  Christian  friends, 
natives  of  different  countries,  who  without  pre- 
vious concert  arrived  in  Pesth  on  the  same  day, 
and  indeed  by  the  same  steamer.  This  remarkable 
coincidence  was  evidently  of  the  Lord,  and  it  was 
resolved  to  turn  it  to  account.  For  fourteen  days 
we  continued  together  in  prayer  and  thanksgiving. 
It  was  a  time  of  special  refreshing  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord.  We  remembered  the  parting  words : 
"Go  ye  into  all  the  world ;  and  lo,  I  am  with  you 

1  The  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Smith,  now  of  Corsack  in  Dumfries- 
shire, then  one  of  the  missionaries,  wrote  a  series  of  excellent 
articles  on  the  mission,  in  the  Sunday  at  Home  of  1866.  Our 
quotations  from  him  are  chiefly  from  those  articles,  but  some 
from  letters  written  at  the  time, 


DR.    KEITH'S   REPORT. 


alway."  And  as  we  communed  one  with  another  in 
the  Word,  and  poured  out  our  hearts  at  the  rnercy- 
seat,  we  felt  that  the  Lord  Jesus  was  indeed  in  the 
midst  of  us,  walking  among  the  candlesticks  as  of 
old,  and  the  hearts  of  all  were  greatly  enlarged. 
The  well  thus  opened  in  the  desert  continued  to 
flow,  and  to  follow  us  in  our  way  as  a  living 
stream.  From  that  time  a  manifest  blessino;  bes^an 
to  descend.  German  services  were  established, 
which  were  attended  by  great  numbers  of  Jews, 
and  a  powerful  impression  was  made.  This  im- 
pression deepened  week  by  week,  and  as  winter 
approached  the  work  of  conversion  began. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  visit  of  the  Rev. 
Charles  (afterwards  Dr.)  Schwartz  took  place,  to 
which  we  have  referred.  He  remained  for  some 
time  preaching  regularly  in  German.  Many  Jews 
came  to  hear  him,  and  the  impressions  already 
made  on  the  Saphir  family  were  much  deepened. 

Dr.  Keith  said  in  his  report  to  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  in 
1844:— 

While  I  was  in  Pesth  an  aged  and  respectable 
Jew  was  specially  recommended  to  me  as  one  of 
the  most  learned  among  them,  and  the  most  capable 
of  giving  every  requisite  information  concerning 
his  brethren.  He  conversed  freely  on  the  history 
of  the  Jews  in  Hungary,  and  referred  me  to  the 
best  authorities  on  that  subject,  which  he  at  first 
imagined  was  the  object  of  my  inquiry.  But  he  was 
at  first  more  reluctant,  than  other  Jews  general!  v 


CONVERSION  OF  FATHER   AND   SON.  23 


were,  to  speak  of  their  religious  opinions,  and  it  was 
only  after  a  preliminary  conversation  that  I  could 
get  him  at  all  to  enter  on  the  question  of  the 
Messiahship  of  Jesus.  More  than  in  most  other 
instances,  it  was  necessary,  in  dealing  with  him,  to 
become  as  a  Jew  to  the  Jews.  But  when  the 
testimony  of  the  prophets  was  brought  plainly 
before  him,  he  was  deeply  moved,  and  said,  "  It  is 
very  hard  to  give  up  in  old  age  opinions  cherished 
from  youth,  and  never  doubted."  He  soon  became 
an  earnest  inquirer.  Having  thrice  missed  me  that 
day,  he  called  the  fourth  time,  of  his  own  accord, 
at  my  lodgings,  on  the  evening  before  I  left 
Pesth. 

The  father  and  his  son  Adolph  were  convinced 
at  the  same  time  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and 
when  lie  became  convinced,  the  patriarch  never  hesi- 
tated as  to  the  course  to  be  taken ;  but  he  delayed 
his  baptism  in  his  anxiety  to  bring  his  whole  family 
with  him.  His  son  Philipp,  of  whom  we  shall  have 
much  to  say  afterwards,  was  baptized  on  April  4, 
1843,  by  one  of  the  chief  Hungarian  pastors, 
the  Rev.  Paul  Tor  ok,  who  was  very  friendly  with 
the  missionaries  and  baptized  all  the  converts,  it 
not  being  lawful  for  foreigners  to  perform  minis- 
terial offices  for  Austrian  subjects.  Philipp  had  been 
impressed  by  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Schwartz,  and 
he  wrote  to  him  expressing  the  joy  that  he  felt 
in  being  admitted  into  the  Church  of  Christ.  But 
Philipp's  conversion  took  place  when  he  and 
two  others  were  affectionately  ministering  to  Mr. 


24         REFERENCES   TO  ADOLPirS  FATHER. 

Wino^ate,  who  had  met  with  an  accident,  and  re- 
quired  to  be  attended  to,  day  and  night.  He  and 
Alfred  Edersheim  and  another  volunteered  to  take 
turns  in  this  loving  service,  and  Philipp,  deeply- 
troubled  in  mind,  sought  counsel  from  Mr.  Win- 
gate,  and  suddenly  saw  and  rejoiced  in  the  light. 
Old  Mr.  Saphir  had  everything  to  lose,  but  he 
counted  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  to 
be  found  in  Christ.  Dr.  Smith  says  : — He  was 
perhaps  the  most  learned  Jew^  in  Hungary,  and 
held  in  universal  respect  for  probity  and  upright- 
ness of  character.  He  was  in  truth  a  sort  of 
Gamaliel  in  the  nation.  He  was  the  bosom  friend 
of  the  Chief  Rabbi,  and  the  most  leading  and 
trusted  man  in  every  benevolent  and  useful  under- 
takino\      A  hundred  other  conversions   could  not 

o 

have  produced  the  same  impression  as  his. 

Mr.  Wingate,  in  writing  before  the  baptism,  thus 
referred  to  him  : — 

The  Lord  has  remarkably  visited  Mr.  Saphir's 
family,  and  we  look  forward  to  their  being  the  first 
who  will  be  called  to  profess  publicly  their  faith  in 
Christ,  and  obedience  to  Him.  This  will  be  a 
severe  blow  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  which  he  has 
so  long  held  undisturbed  in  Judaism.  Mr.  Saphir 
is  known  throughout  the  whole  community,  and 
the  rumours  of  his  conversion  to  the  truth  have 
been  shakino;  the  Jews  here,  like  the  heavino-s  of 
a  coming  earthquake.  For  man)'  years  his  un- 
blemished character,  extensive  learning,  not  only 
as  to  Jewish  but  ofeneral  literature,  having  at  the 


JREFEBEXCKS   TO   ADOLPH'S   FATHEB. 


cio-e  of  fifty-four  mastered  the  Englisli  language  for 
no  other  reason  than  that  he  might  be  able  to  read 
Shakespere  in  the  original; — all  these  circumstances, 
combined  with  his  ^^atriotic  endeavour  to  raise  his 
nation,  by  the  erection  and  formation  of  the  largest 
Jewish  school  in  Hungary,  had  endeared  him  to 
tlie  Jews.  His  opinion  was,  as  it  were,  law  ;  and 
that  he  should  be  about  to  declare  Judaism,  which 
he  had  studied  for  forty  years,  to  h^  a  way  of  deatli 
and  not  of  life  was  sufficiently  startling.  He  is 
about  sixty  years  of  age,  but  his  mind  is  full  of 
youthful  vigour,  and  he  has  great  energy  of 
character.  Dr.  Duncan's  many  conversations  have 
greatly  impressed  him,  and  the  conflict  with  the 
natural  enmity  and  unbelief  of  the  heart  has 
been  long  and  deep  ;  but  the  Lord  was  deepening 
the  Word,  and  now  we  commend  him  and  his 
interesting  family — of  wife,  three  sons,  and  three 
daughters,  and  a  Jewish  servant — to  the  jDrayers  of 
God's  children. 

Some  little  time  ago,  when  Mr.  Saphir's  state  of 
mind  was  talked  of  among  the  Jews,  the  princij^al 
Kabbi  here,  his  former  intimate  friend,  preached 
from  Isaiah  liii.,  explaining  the  passage  after  the 
manner  of  the  Jews,  and  denouncing  in  fearful 
terms  the  man  who  would  give  up  his  children  to 
those  who  wxre  outside  of  their  community,  viz.  the 
Christians.  Mr.  Saphir  was  in  the  synagogue  at  the 
time,  and  knew  that  all  this  was  levelled  at  him. 
But  this  tirade,  though  it  exposed  him  to  the 
enmity  of  the   Jews,   confirmed  him  in  liis   deter- 


26       HIGH  CHARACTER    OF  ISRAEL   SAPHIR. 

mination  to  hold  fast  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  Soon 
after,  before  the  annual  meeting  for  the  election  of 
directors  to  the  Jewish  Seminary,  the  Eabbi  sent 
privately  to  inform  him  that  it  was  the  intention 
of  the  Jews  to  expel  him,  and  begging  him,  if  his 
mind  was  quite  made  up  to  leave  the  synagogue, 
to  send  in  his  resignation.  He  accordingly  resigned 
his  oliice  of  principal  Director  to  the  school,  which 
he  had  so  many  years  watched  over  and  superin- 
tended. He  has  suffered  much  at  the  hands  of  his 
brethren  As  in  the  case  of  Job,  they  used  to  rise 
up  at  his  approach,  but  some  dared  now  even  to 
revile  him  and  mock  him.  His  high  character  has 
silenced  many,  and  the  Eabbi  has  declared,  that 
notwithstanding  all,  Mr.  Saphir  is  an  honourable 
man.  Eelatives  and  friends  weep,  and  try  all  means 
to  effect  a  change  in  his  purpose,  but  in  vain. 

It  may  be  mentioned  here  that  Dr.  Schwab,  the 
Eabbi  of  Buda-pest,  had  communications  with  him, 
as  long  as  he  lived.  He  was  accustomed  frequently 
to  meet  him  at  a  private  room  of  one  of  the 
booksellers,  in  that  city. 

Mr.  Israel  Saphir's  wife,  of  Bohemian  extraction, 
nSe  Henrietta  Bondij,  was  an  attractive  woman  of 
gentle  disposition,  to  whom  her  son  Adolph  bore 
much  resemblance.  She  also,  after  some  time, 
became  convinced  of  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  and 
declared  her  readiness  to  follow  her  husband  and  to 
profess  Christianity ;  but  she  was  in  much  perplexity 
about  the  worldly  difficulties,  in  which  open  profes- 
sion of  faith  by  baptism  might  involve  them.     The 


THE  SAPHIR   FAMILY 


whole    family    became    simultaneously   influenced, 
except  an  elder  son  by  a  former  marriage.     For  six 
months  the  father  had  delayed  his  own  baptism, 
that   he  might  bring  his  family   with  him.      Dr. 
Smith,  writing  in  Feb.  1843,  thus  describes  their 
state,  and  refers  touchingly  to  the  young  Adolph : — 
The    eldest  daughter  we  believe   to    be    now  a 
Christian.      She   is   under   regular   instruction    for 
baptism.    Her  little  brother,  eleven  and  a  half  years 
of  age  (but  of  small  stature),  receives  instruction  at 
the  same  time.    I  feel  confident  that  this  child,  if  he 
is  not  being  prepared  for  speedy  removal  to  another 
world,  is  being  prepared  for  much  good  in  this.    He 
seems  to  have  a  peculiar  delight  in  prayer.     Hours 
together,  w^e  have  reason  to  believe,  have  been  some- 
times spent  by  him  in  this  exercise.     He  and  his 
sister  have  little  prayer-meetings  together,  on  behalf 
of  the  other  members  of  the  family.    Nor  have  their 
prayers  been  unheard.    The  mother  is  now  anxiously 
inquiring  how  her  soul  can  be  saved.     The  remain- 
ing two  sisters  have  of   their  own  accord  offered 
themselves  for  instruction.     The  father  stands  fast, 
and    grows    in    strength   from  day  to   day.     The 
power  of  Divine  grace  has  been  wonderfully  mani- 
fested in  him.     He  has  been  universally  looked  up 
to  as  the  most  learned  Jew  in  Hungary,  and  lias 
possessed  so  great  weight  of  probity  and  character, 
that  the  Jews  have  been  accustomed  to  regard  him 
with    feelings    of   the    deepest    respect,    and    even 
veneration.     Yet,  standing  at  the  very  head  of  his 
countrymen,  and  almost  idolized  by  them,  he  has 


28       ISRAEL    SAPIUR'S   GBOWTH   IN    GRACE. 


been  enabled  through  grace  to  count  all  things 
but  loss  for  the  excellency  to  be  found  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

We  had  for  some  time  watched  with  intense 
interest  the  progress  of  his  mind.  At  length  we 
felt  ourselves  justified,  about  a  week  ago,  to  request 
an  interview,  and  to  call  upon  him,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  to  come  forth  from  among  his 
brethren,  and  make  a  public  profession  of  Christ's 
name.  The  way  in  which  he  responded  to  this 
call,  and  the  views  which  he  was  led  to  express, 
filled  us  with  unfeigned  delight.  We  have  reason 
to  anticipate  that  his  baptism  will  produce  a  great 
sensation  among  the  Jews,  not  only  here,  but 
throughout  Hungary.  His  high  reputation  for 
learning  and  uprightness  shuts  out  at  once  the  idea 
of  incapacity  or  interested  motive.  That  he  is  con- 
vinced and  that  he  is  capable  of  judging,  are  points 
which,  whatever  they  may  say  in  the  heat  of  their 
anger,  they  will  not  be  able  to  set  aside  to  the 
satisfaction  of  their  own  minds.  The  great  attain- 
ments of  Mr,  Saphir,  the  position  Avhich  he  has 
occupied,  and  other  circumstances,  have  impressed 
us  deeply  with  the  importance  of  his  being  publicly 
employed  by  the  Church.  Moreover,  as  he  is  quite 
familiar  with  the  Greek  and  Eoman  classics,  and  is 
a  thorough  master  in  all  Jewish  learning,  we  might, 
with  his  assistance,  be  enabled,  with  much  advan- 
tao'e,  to  train  up  young  men  in  immediate  contact 
Avith  the  work,  who  might  afterwards  be  stationed 
in  different  parts  of  tlie  country. 


L>9 


CHAPTER   IV. 

BAPTISM   OF   THE   SAPHIR   HOUSEHOLD. 

Mr.  Saphir,  his  Wife  and  Daughters  and  Adolph  [baptized  in 
June  1843 — Crowded  Assembly  of  Jews  and  others — Im- 
pressive Address  of  the  Father — Secret  First  Communion 
— "  Sound  of  the  noiseless  steps  " — Earnestness  of  Young 
Adolph  —  Impression  in  Hungary  and  Germany  - — 
Discussion  in  the  Press — Striking  Letter  of  Adolph' s 
Father. 

THE  household,  consisting  of  father,  sou,  wife, 
and  three  daughters  (Philipp  having  been 
baptized  before,  as  we  have  mentioned,  on  his 
departure  for  Carlsruhe  to  be  trained  as  a  teacher), 
were  baptized  by  Pastor  Torok,  in  the  Hungarian 
Reformed  church,  on  Wednesday,  June  7,  1843. 
Dr.  Smith  gives  a  graphic  account  of  the  whole 
scene : — 

All  these,  to  the  best  of  our  discernment,  had  been 
made  partakers  of  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  His 
glorious  Name  be  praised  ! — a  whole  family.  How 
seldom   such  a   sio'ht  even   in   the  most   Christian 

o 

land  !  It  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  wondrous  in  our 
eyes.  On  the  morning  of  the  baptism,  the  children 
were  up,  between  three  and  four,  for  prayer.  The 
sound  of  their  sweet  voices,  at  that  early  hour, 
gladdened  and  strengthened   the  parents'  hearts. 


30         THE  FATHERS  IMPRESSIVE  ADDRESS. 

At  his  baptism,  the  father  delivered  an  address, 
powerfully  conceived  and  expressed,  in  which  he 
gave  solemn  testimony,  not  only  to  the  truths  of 
the  gospel,  but  also  to  the  experience  of  it  in  his 
own  soul.  Such  a  testimony  had  never  been 
borne  in  Pesth  since  the  days  of  the  Eeformation. 
He  bore  wdtness  also  to  the  change  which  he  had, 
with  his  own  eyes,  seen  effected  in  his  wife  and 
children.  Pointing  to  them,  as  they  stood  around 
him,  he  declared  the  Spirit  of  God  and  the  truth 
of  God  to  have  been  the  means  of  the  spiritual 
trausformation.  Altoofether,  the  sio^ht  was  most 
affectino'.     To  hear  of  an  inward  struororle  between 

o  o  o 

grace  and  sin,  issuing  through  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  a  new^  birth  of  the  soul,  and  that 
this,  and  not  a  mere  change  of  opinion  and  of 
outward  profession,  was  a  true  conversion  from 
Judaism  to  Christianity,  was  something  for  w^hich 
the  crowded  assembly  of  Jews  and  others  were 
quite  unprepared.  Many  Jews  and  Gentiles  wxre 
moved  to  tears,  and  not  a  few  were  led  to  inquire 
after  the  w^ay  of  salvation  from  that  hour.  There 
w\as  a  power,  and  simplicity,  and  truth  in  the 
words  of  the  patriarchal  Jew%  as  he  stood  in  the 
midst  of  his  family,  and  testified  for  himself  and 
for  them  what  God  had  done  for  their  souls.  It 
midit  be  seen,  reflected  in  the  riveted  attention  of 
all  present,  that  these  doctrines  w^ere  no  trifles  ! 
but  that  they  entered  into  the  very  life  of  the 
soul.  The  attention  and  death-like  stillness  of  the 
audience  showed  the  depth  of  the  impression  then 


BAPTISM   OF  THE  SAPHIR   HOUSEHOLD.      31 

being  made.  Especially  was  every  breath  hushed 
when  the  moment  of  the  great  transition  arrived,  in 
which,  by  the  washing  with  w^ater  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  this 
Jewish  family,  one  by  one,  were  publicly  engrafted 
into  Christ.  It  is  true,  there  was  no  transition 
here  from  death  to  life.  But  the  life  which  had 
been  already  communicated  by  Word  and  Spirit, 
now  emerged  into  publicity  before  the  eyes  of  God, 
of  angels,  and  of  men.  In  that  hour  a  covenant 
was  openly  and  irrevocably  entered  into,  before 
many  witnesses,  between  God  and  these  children 
of  Abraham,  wdtli  pledges  of  mutual  fidelity  and 
love.  In  a  sense — and  that  a  high  and  important 
one — they  came  there  as  Jew^s,  they  returned  home 
rejoicing  as  Christians. 

We  spent  the  evening  of  the  day  with  the 
family.  The  joy,  the  peace,  the  love  among  them 
I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe.  It  was  the  most 
lovely  sight  I  ever  beheld.  The  zeal  of  the  father 
kindling  anew  and  burning  with  more  than  usual 
brightness ;  perfect  peace  resting  on  the  but  lately 
care-worn  countenance  of  the  mother ;  the  eldest 
daughter  finding  an  outlet  to  her  thankfulness  and 
joy  only  in  tears,  and  the  little  Benjamin  of  the 
family — Adolph — the  first  among  them  who  had 
seen  the  Lord,  hanging  on  his  beloved  teachers, 
the  very  picture  of  a  happy  child ; — such  a  scene 
was  life  to  our  souls. 

The  servant  of  the  family  looked  on  bewildered, 
and  wondering  what  all  this  meant.    On  that  night 


SECRET  FIRST    COMMUNION. 


impressions  were  made  oii  her  heart,  which  issued 
later  in  her  conversion.  After  praying  with  them, 
and  exhorting  them  to  continue  steadfast  in  the 
faith,  walkinof  tooether  in  the  comfort  and  love  of 
the  Spirit,  and  in  the  fellowship  of  all  the  holy 
brethren,  we  took  our  departure. 

Such  a  Avell  of  living  w^ater  could  not  be 
opened  up  amidst  the  dreary  wastes  of  the  Jewish 
community,  and  I  may  add  of  the  Christian  also, 
without  attracting  much  observation.  For  a  time, 
even  all  opposition  was  stayed.  Men  felt  that  a 
power  was  at  work  which  they  could  not  com- 
prehend, and  which  they  were  afraid  to  resist.  Into 
not  a  few  hearts  the  truth  silently  found  its  way  ; 
in  some  cases  resulting  in  a  manifestly  saving- 
change  ;  in  others  producing  impressions,  the  nature 
of  which  the  day  of  decision  alone  will  declare.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  occasion  of  the  first  dispensa- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper,  soon  after  this  baj)tism, 
when  the  majority  of  those  present  wxre  Jews. 
The  meeting  was  held  in  an  upper  room,  secretly, 
for  fear  of  the  Jews,  and  of  the  intolerant  Austrian 
Government.  Almost  as  soon  as  the  service  began 
a  strange  m}^sterious  presence  filled  the  place.  A 
hushed  silence  fell  on  the  little  company,  only 
occasionally  broken  by  the  suppressed  sob  of  some 
burstino[  heart.  AVhen  the  bread  was  broken  and 
the  wine  poured  forth,  we  felt  as  if  for  the  time  the 
conditions  of  the  earth  had  passed  away.  We  felt 
that  the  Kisen  Lord  was  indeed  present  in  the 
midst  of  us.     And  as  we  gazed  upon  Him,  we  saw 


PROGRESS   OF  MISSION   WORK.  33 


the  print  of  the  nails,  and  the  wound  in  His  pierced 
side.  An  Irish  barrister,  Mr.  Eawlins,  who,  w^ith 
his  whole  family,  had  been  converted  a  short  time 
before,  and  who  afterwards  became  a  clergyman  of 
the  Church  of  England,  said  to  me  on  the  follow- 
ing day — "  I  thought  I  heard  the  sound  of  His 
noiseless  steps  as  He  passed  up  and  down  in 
the  midst  of  us." 

From  that  time  the  work  went  forward  with  great 
power.  The  little  company  of  believers  walked 
together  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  the  unity  of 
mutual  love.  And  they  testified  all  around  to  what 
they  had  seen  and  heard.  The  large  Jewdsli  com- 
munity of  Pestli  was  perplexed,  hot  knowing  what 
these  things  might  mean.  Indeed,  for  a  time,  the 
whole  city  was  shaken.  In  public  places  of  resort, 
the  conversation  of  all  classes  turned  on  the  strange 
things  that  had  come  to  their  ears. 

Dr.  Smith  continues  : — These  were  blessed  times 
worth  living  for.  Within  a  few  months  about  twenty 
persons  were  added  to  the  Lord,  and  others  received 
a  new  baptism  of  the  Spirit.  A  general  interest 
was  aw^akened  through  the  city.  Even  in  the 
coffee-houses  conversation  was  turned  to  the  subject 
of  religion.  Wherever  the  converts  went  they 
carried  the  savour  of  Christ  with  them.  Their 
demeanour  was  modest  and  unassuming,  but  what 
w\^s  nearest  their  hearts  could  not  be  hidden. 
Their  daily  intercourse  with  each  other  w\as  like 
that  of  a  large  united  family,  and  w^as  characterized 
in   a  remarkable  dey-ree  bv   unanimitv,   love,    and 


34  A   BLESSED  SEASON. 

mutual  confidence.  When  any  cause  of  difi'erence 
arose  among  them,  they  were  wont  to  meet  to- 
gether and  lay  the  matter  before  the  Lord,  praying 
and  conversing  alternately,  till  they  again  saw,  eye 
to  eye.  Thus  their  light  shone  out  on  all  around, 
and  men  were  forced  to  take  knowledo^e  of  them 
that  Jesus  dwelt  among  them  of  a  truth. 

In  those  days  we  were  visited  by  many  Christian 
brethren  from  various  countries,  who  had  heard 
that  the  Lord  had  visited  this  people.  It  is 
a  curious  fact  that  several  of  these,  quite  apart 
from  each  other,  gave  expression  to  the  same 
idea, — that  they  felt  as  if  sojourning  for  a  season 
in  one  of  the  early  Apostolic  Churches.  I  re- 
member the  remark  made  to  me  by  one  of  them, 
that  he  would  not  be  taken  aback  nor  think  it 
strange,  should  a  letter  from  Paul  or  from  Peter 
be  handed  in,  by  next  morning's  post.  These 
were  days  of  heaven  upon  earth.  Sometimes  I 
felt  as  if  the  ground  were  no  longer  solid  under 
my  feet. 

It  is  of  special  interest  to  notice  the  strong 
character  and  Christian  ardour  of  Adolph  at  this 
early  period  of  life.  He  was  in  a  manner  the 
leader  of  the  movement.  This  zeal  and  decision 
burned  with  intensity  all  through  his  ministry 
in  after  years,  and  gave  him  such  power  as  an 
almost  Apostolic  ambassador  of  Christ.  Dr.  Smith 
thus  speaks  of  him : — Adolph  visited,  the  other 
day,  a  Jewess  of  his  acquaintance,  who  is  also  a 
neighbour.     He  spoke  to  her  about  her   soul — of 


EARNESTNESS   OF   YOUNG   ADOLPH.  35 

lier  state  by  nature,  and  need  of  salvation.  She 
said  that  all  the  neighbours  marked  a  great  change 
in  the  Saphir  family  ;  that  they  seemed  now  so 
happy.  "  Yes,"  said  Adolph,  "we  are  happy  because 
we  have  got  reconciliation  with  God  through  the 
blood  of  His  Son.  We  have  peace  in  our  con- 
sciences ;  and  that  makes  us  happy."  The  con- 
versation ended  in  his  engaging  with  her  in  prayer. 
His  father  and  he  seem  to  have  exchanged  with 
one  another  the  characteristics  belonoino-  to  their 
respective  ages,  or  rather  retaining  the  proper 
characteristics  of  youth  and  age — to  have  com- 
municated, the  one  to  the  other — the  child  impart- 
ing to  the  father  the  simplicity  of  childhood — the 
father  imparting  to  the  child  almost  the  maturity 
of  age.  One  beautiful  and  touching  illustration 
of  this  we  remark  in  the  conversations  they  have 
with  each  other,  like  brother  with  brother,  on 
the  Sabbath  evenings,  over  the  truths  they  have 
been  hearing  in  the  English  service, — in  attending 
ujDon  which  they  find  great  delight. 

Dr.  Duncan,  who  had  been  away  for  a  time  from 
Pesth  on  account  of  health,  returned  in  the  summer 
of  1843.  He  wrote  in  regard  to  the  Saphirs : — 
Mrs.  Saphir  we  met  in  Vienna,  with  two  of  her 
daughters,  whom  she  was  conducting  to  a  school 
at  Kornthal,  in  Wiirtemburg,  for  the  education  of 
teachers.  On  her  countenance  there  sparkled  a 
joy  which  I  had  never  seen  there  before.  In  fact, 
formerly  she  always  looked  miserable.  Her  talents, 
which  are  of  a  homely  but  useful   and  motherly 


3G     DR.  DUNCAN'S  ACCOUNT   OF  THE  SAPHIBS. 

kind,  have  also  received  a  wonderful  expression 
through  the  force  of  truth.  Philipp  Saphir,  an 
elder  son,  is  gone  to  Carlsruhe  in  Wurtemburg, 
to  be  educated  for  a  teacher.  The  change  pro- 
duced in  him  by  the  power  of  Christianity  appears 
to  have  had  a  very  strange  influence  on  those 
who  knew  him  before,  who  said  they  formerly 
despised  him,  as  a  foolish  and  disgraceful  lad,  but 
now  could  not  help  admiring  him.  I  have  seen 
some  letters  which  he  sent  to  his  father.  They 
seemed  rather  the  production  of  an  aged  and 
experienced  Christian,  with  a  good  deal  of  the 
faith,  naivete,  and  pleasant  quaintness,  which  dis- 
tinguished the  style  of  the  Puritans.  Little  A. 
is  still  a  charming  boy.  He  know^s  English  pretty 
well,  and  has  during  our  absence  prepared  for 
me  the  books  of  Joshua  and  Judges  in  Hebrew. 
His  father  tells  me,  that  sometimes  he  continues 
for  a  whole  hour  in  prayer,  the  tears  streaming 
from  his  eyes.  He  finds  opportunity  of  speaking 
of  Christ  to  Jewesses,  who  invite  the  child  to 
their  houses.  Though  treated  by  us  as  a  man, 
and,  no  doubt,  by  them  with  foolish  admiration, 
we  have  not  seen  one  trait  in  him  inconsistent 
with  childlike  simplicity  and  modesty. 

A  great  door  w^as  opened  among  literary  young- 
men — students  of  philosophy,  medicine,  and  the- 
ology. This  success  excited  much  persecution. 
The  Jews  organized,  means  to  kee])  their  brethren 
from  visiting  the  missionaries.  They  also  tried 
to  get  the  authorities  to  interfere.      Several  articles 


IMPRESSION   IN  HUNGARY  AND    GERMANY 


appeared  iu  the  Jaden  Zeitnng,  published  at 
Leipzig,  attacking  the  mission.  A  pamphlet  was 
distributed  in  Pesth  against  it.  A  notice  appeared 
in  the  well-known  Augsburg  Allgemeine  Zeitung, 
accusing  the  missionaries  at  Pesth  of  alluring,  by 
money  and  all  kinds  of  promises,  the  very  dregs 
of  the  people,  and  also  of  interfering  with  the 
Roman  Catholics.  This  last  charge  was  intended 
to  incite  the  Government  to  expel  them,  as  all 
Protestant  work  among  Roman  Catholics  was  then 
strictly  forbidden.  These  determined  efforts  to 
destroy  the  mission,  testified  to  the  great  effect  it 
was  producing. 

The  conversion  of  Mr.  Sapliir  and  his  family 
caused  a  great  sensation  among  the  Jews,  who 
knew  that  as  a  Jew  he  had  been  remarkable  for 
honesty  and  wisdom,  and  who  could  not  believe 
that  in  becoming  a  Christian  he  was  a  deceiver. 
The  Scriptures  were  therefore  read  in  many  Jewish 
houses  with  avidity.  Christianity  became  a  subject 
of  study  and  conversation  in  Jewish  families,  and 
the  missionaries  found  themselves  too  few  to  over- 
take the  inquirers.  It  may  be  noted  that  Mr. 
Saphir's  prayers  were  usuall}^  in  Hebrew,  and 
the  words  of  the  Psalter  were  constantly  used, 
adapted  to  the  special  circumstances,  and  full  of 
the  original  fire  and  force.  Within  about  a  year 
and  a  half  from  the  establishment  of  the  mission, 
thirty-five  baptisms  had  taken  place.  These  bap- 
tisms were  conducted,  as  mentioned  before,  by  the 
superintendent   minister  of  the  Eeformed   Church 


38  ISRAEL  SAPHIRS  LETTER. 

of  Hungary,  Pastor  Paul  Torok.  The  iufluence 
of  the  mis.^ion  was  felt  remarkably  in  quickening 
many  of  the  clergy  and  their  people,  who  had  been 
sunk  in  rationalism. 

We  give  here  an  extract  from  a  letter  of  old 
Mr.  Saphir,  w^hich  breathes  the  simple  Christian 
character  of  the  man,  and  testifies  to  the  influence 
of  his  conversion  on  the  Jews.  It  is  dated  Pesth, 
April  11,  1844,  and  addressed  to  the  Rev.  C. 
Schwartz  : — 

AVe  have  tolerably  much  to  do,  and  the  Lord 
is  still  pleased  to  countenance  our  labours.  One 
veiy  important  feature  in  the  mission  here  is  tlie 
change  that  the  feelings  of  the  Jews  have  under- 
gone, since  the  missionaries  settled  at  Pesth. 
Jews,  without  being  shocked  or  wounded  in  their 
feelings,  can  now  be  addressed  about  the  most 
important  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  they  even 
quietly  and  calmly  begin  to  consider  with  tlieir 
families,  whether  they  should  embrace  Christianity 
or  not.  I  can  assure  you  (I  humbly  trust  you 
won't  believe  that  I  am  mentioning  this  out  of 
self-love  and  vain-glory)  that  since  I  publicly 
professed  Jesus  as  my  Messiah,  a  new  era  has 
begun  in  the  history  of  the  Jews  of  Pesth,  yea, 
even  of  Hungary.  They  were  accustomed  to  look 
upon  me,  whether  rightly  or  wrongly  I  do  not 
say,  as  one  w^ell  acquainted  with  their  own  litera- 
ture, and  somewhat  versed  even  in  profane  science. 
The  Rabbi  himself  confirmed  the  people  in  this 
opinion,  since  he  seemed   to   prefer  my  acquaint- 


EFFECT   OF  HIS    CONVERSION.  39 

ance  to  any  other,  and  was  always  anxious  to 
show  publicly  how  much  he  esteemed  me.  What 
will  the  poor  man  do  now  ?  Can  he  at  once 
despise  and  calumniate  that  man  whom  he  shortly 
before  publicly  exalted  and  honoured, — and  why  ? 
Simply  because  I  have  embraced  Christianity.  And 
the  uneducated  people,  again  and  again,  put  the 
c[uestion.  Must  we  believe  that  the  same  Saphir, 
who  we  w^ere  told  even  yesterday  was  a  learned 
man,  has  at  once  become  an  ignorant  one ;  or 
that  the  same  man  who  was,  all  his  lifetime,  an 
honest  man,  and  whom  we  knew  for  thirty  years 
as  a  sincere  man,  has  suddenly  turned  out  a 
deceiver  and  hypocrite  ? 

All  these  conditions  which,  in  the  first  moment 
of  excitement  and  surprise,  were  overlooked,  are 
now  more  coolly  and  impartially  weighed ;  the 
more — as  they  clearly  see  that  we  have  not  only 
professed  Christ  with  our  lips,  but  cannot  deny, 
as  I  humbly  trust,  that  we  have  been  changed, — 
a  new  and  living  principle  having  been  put  into 
our  hearts ;  so  that  while,  six  months  back,  all 
with  one  accord  calumniated,  contemned,  despised 
us ;  now  they  are  divided  amongst  themselves,  and 
many  begin  to  think  that  Saphir  has  really  been 
converted,  and  to  look  at  one  another  in  surprise. 
I  know  all  this  from  good  authority ;  and  now,  let 
me  ask  you  : — Ma)^  we  not  hope  that  Christ  will 
still  more  be  glorified,  and  His  kingdom  still  more 
advanced  amongst  us  1  God  is  my  witness,  this 
is  the  only  thing,  viz.  Christ's  glory,  that  fills  my 


40  THE  MISSION   CAUSE  ADVAXGING. 


heart  with  unspeakable  joy.  Do  not  believe  that  I 
have  mentioned  this  to  you  out  of  love  to  myself, 
or  because  I  believe  that  I  have  done  anything  in  it. 
I  know  that  there  is  nothing  good  in  me,  and  that 
we  all  come  short,  before  that  God  who  tries  the 
reins  and  searches  the  hearts — yea,  I  pray  daily 
that  the  Lord  may  free  me  more  and  more  from 
selfishness,  and  fill  me  with  true  humility ;  yet, 
not  unto  us,  but  unto  His  l)lessed  Name  be  all 
glory  and  praise  for  ever. 


41 


CHAPTER  V. 

INFLUENCE   OF   THE   COURT. 

The  Archduke  and  Archduchess  foster  tlie  Mission — They 
encourage  the  sending  of  Evangelists  all  through  Hungary 
— The  Archduke's  Peaceful  Death  in  184:7 — Subsequent 
persecution  of  the  Archduchess — Her  Death  in  1855. 

DURING  these  remarkable  events,  the  mission 
was  constantly  under  the  fostering  care  of 
the  Archduchess  and  her  husband,  the  Palatine. 
Thus  the  representatives  of  the  Austrian  Govern- 
ment, which  vras  so  bigoted  and  oppressive,  became 
its  chief  protectors.  This  was  a  most  wonderful 
fact.  The  Archduchess  frequently  invited  the  mis- 
sionaries to  the  Palace,  and  rejoiced  in  their  work 
and  encouraged  them  in  it.  Her  care  was  constant, 
or  they  could  not  have  gone  on.  "  She  was,"  says 
Mr.  Wingate,  "weekly  interviewed  by  some  of  us, 
and  both  she  and  the  Palatine  knew  all  we  were 
doing.  She  was  taught  Hebrew  by  old  Mr.  Saphir, 
We  were  nearly  as  well  known  in  the  Palace  as  in 
the  city  of  Buda-pest.  Her  Highness  had  a  long 
correspondence  with  some  of  the  mission  party." 


42  THJt:  MISSION  FOSTERED. 

Dr.  Smith  gives  a  special  instance  of  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Court  in  promoting  the  mission  : — 
The  report  of  the  work  in  Pesth  had  gone  forth 
everywhere,  and  awakened  a  very  general  spirit 
of  inquiry  in  Hungary.  Of  this  the  missionaries 
wished  to  take  advantai>^e.  Six  of  the  most  oifted 
of  the  converts  were  trained  with  oreat  care  for 
two  years,  with  a  view  to  their  being  sent  out  as 
evangelists.  But  there  was  no  immediate  prospect 
of  the  door  being  opened.  Such  a  thing  as  a 
proselytizing  expedition  through  the  towns  and 
villages  of  Hungary  was  unheard  of.  and  it  seemed 
almost  to  be  impossible  under  a  Government  so 
intolerant.  The  men  were  ready,  but  how  were 
they  to  proceed  ?  We  communicated  our  wishes 
to  the  Archduchess,  who  undertook  to  seize  the 
first  favourable  opportunity  to  lay  the  whole  matter 
before  the  Archduke,  and  boldly  to  solicit  his  pro- 
tection. Now  mark  the  providence  of  God  !  A  few 
days  later  there  occurred  a  violent  outbreak  among 
the  peasants  in  Austrian  Poland.  A  large  number 
of  the  proprietors,  with  their  wives  and  children, 
were  massacred  in  cold  blood,  and  many  other 
frightful  excesses  were  committed.  The  news  had 
just  reached  Pesth.  The  Archduke,  who  was  a 
just  man,  and  sincerely  desired  to  promote  the 
welfare  of  the  people  according  to  the  measure  of 
his  light,  was  greatly  troubled.  For  a  time  he 
walked  up  and  down  in  his  chamber  in  deep  thought, 
and  greatly  agitated.  The  Archduchess,  coming  in 
and  finding  him   in   this  state,  asked   if  an}" thing 


INFLUENCE   OF  THE   COURT. 


had  happened  to  vex  him.  He  answered,  ''  Nothing 
personally,  but  I  have  been  thinking  of  those  fearful 
atrocities  in  Poland,  and  I  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that,  unless  the  Bible  be  circulated  among 
these  people  and  they  get  good  in  this  way,  no 
other  means  will  raise  them  from  their  present 
degradation."  She  was  immediately  ready  with 
the  reply,  "  If  an  attempt  of  this  kind  were  made 
in  Hungary,  would  you  give  it  your  protection  ? " 
He  said,  ^*Yes,  I  certainly  would."  She  then 
unfolded  to  him  our  whole  scheme,  which  he  highly 
approved  of.  He  had  often  expressed  his  con- 
fidence in  the  prudence  and  circumspection  of  the 
Scotch  missionaries.  He  now  entrusted  Jier  with 
a  message  to  us,  to  the  effect  that  we  should  send 
out  men  with  as  little  noise  and  public  observation 
as  possible,  and  that,  if  they  met  with  any  molest- 
ation from  the  authorities,  they  were  on  no  account 
to  offer  resistance,  but  report  the  case  at  once  to 
us,  and  we  to  him,  and  that  he  would  take  his  own 
measures  for  its  repression.  Even  he  himself  could 
not  go  beyond  a  certain  point.  His  power  was 
limited,  and  had  it  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
supreme  power  in  Vienna,  that  he  was  countenancing 
the  circulation  of  the  AVord  of  God,  he  might  easily 
have  been  involved  in  trouble.  The  door  now 
stood  open.  The  messengers  went  forth,  held  many 
evangelistic  meetings,  and  the  Scriptures  were 
circulated  by  thousands  in  the  villages  and  towns 
throughout  Hungary.  It  may  be  mentioned  that 
commendatory  letters  were  obtained  from  Superin- 


44  DEATH   OF  ARCHDUKE   PALATINE. 


tendent  Torok  of  the  Eeformed  Church,  and 
Superintendent  Dr.  Szekasz  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  to  the  pastors  of  all  parishes  in  Hungary, 
asking  them  to  do  all  they  coukl  to  further 
the  end  in  view — the  distribution  of  the  Bil^le 
and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the  Jews. 
And,  in  the  course  of  four  or  five  years,  no  town 
or  village  in  Hungary  had  been  left  unvisited. 
The  mission,  conducted  with  great  prudence  from 
Dr.  Duncan's  time  and  onwards,  carried  with  it 
the  sympathy  of  both  branches  of  the  Protestant 
Church,  and  was  the  means  of  a  great  revival  of 
religion.  Dr.  Duncan  had  friendly  relations  also 
witli  the  Eoman  Catholic  dignitaries,  and  he  and 
his  colleagues  commanded  their  esteem. 

The  Archduke  Palatine  died  in  1847,  a  humble 
and  believing  penitent  at  the  foot  of  the  Cross. 
He  had  for  many  years  been  a  regular  reader  of  the 
Bible,  but  it  was  only  when  the  shadows  of  the 
coming  darkness  gathered  round  him,  that  full 
spiritual  light  arose  in  his  soul.  Several  months 
before  his  death  he  was  seized  with  a  violent  illness, 
which  threatened  to  carry  him  off.  From  this  he 
partially  recovered.  A  cloud  passed  over  him  for  a 
time,  but  it  was  dissolved,  and  he  became  unusually 
cheerful.  He  acknowledg;ed  afterwards  that  in 
the  days  of  odoom  he  had  been  reviewioo-  his 
past  life,  and  had  everywhere  discovered  sin,  and 
that  now  he  put  his  whole  trust  in  the  merits  and 
righteousness  of  Christ.  Soon  afterwards  his  last 
illness  began.     A  few  hours  before   his  death  his 


PERSECUTION  OF  THE  ARCHDUCHESS.       4f) 

wife  said  to  liim,  "  As  you  are  now  so  soon  to  stand 
before  the  judgment-seat  of  God,  I  wish  to  hear 
from  you  for  the  hist  time  what  is  the  ground  on 
which  you  rest  your  hope  ?  "  His  immediate  reply 
w^as,  "The  blood  of  Christ  alone,''  with  a  strong 
emphasis  on  the  alone. 

Immediately  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  the 
Archduchess  was  hurried  off  by  Imperial  mandate, 
against  her  will,  to  Vienna,  where  she  underwent 
a  species  of  banishment,  or  rather  imprisonment. 
Separated  from  the  brethren,  watched  on  every 
side,  surrounded  with  spies,  her  visitors  reported 
at  the  Imperial  Palace,  her  character  and  principles 
calumniated  by  the  Jesuits — her  days  were  indeed 
days  of  suffering  and  sorrow. 

The  Eev.  Dr.  Keith  thus  describes  her  state  at 
this  time  : — 

"Her  palace  in  Vienna  was  to  her  like  a  prison. 
There  her  Christian  zeal  could  be  restrained. 
Christian  fellowship,  except  rarely,  and  even  cor- 
respondence with  like-minded  friends,  were  denied 
her.  Letters  from  the  Duchess  of  Gordon,  though 
various  modes  of  conveyance  were  tried,  never 
reached  her.  '  That  speaks  volumes,'  said  one  of 
the  highest  rank,  when  told  it.  Strange  things 
were  surmised  about  her  in  the  Austrian  Court, 
as  if  to  justify  cruel  and  unwarrantable  conduct. 
Baron  (the  Chevalier)  Bunsen  asked  me,  'Is  she 
not — '  pausing  like  a  courtier,  but  putting  his  hand 
to  his  head.  'Oh,  yes,'  smilingly,  was  my  plain 
reply;  '  she  is  beside  herself,  like  the  Apostle  Paul ; 


4G  DEATH  OF  THE  ARCHDUCHESS. 


and  for  the  same  reason,  too — for  Jesus'  sake.' 
'  Is  that  the  case  ? '  he  asked.  '  Most  certainly,'  I 
answered  :  '  otherwise  she  has  as  clear  a  head  and 
as  sound  a  judgment  as  either  you  or  T  have '  ('or,' 
I  might  have  added,  '  any  one  I  know ').  '  What 
else  but  mad  can  a  truly  devoted  Christian  be 
accounted  in  the  popish  House  of  Hapsburg  ? '  " 
At  times  she  was  visited  by  the  Protestant 
pastors  of  Pestli  and  by  the  Scottish  missionaries, 
and  occasionally  she  was  permitted  to  visit  Hun- 
gary. Though  her  circumstances  were  so  dark, 
she  liad  light  and  joy  within.  And  after  the 
troubles  of  1848,  when  the  Government  of  Austria, 
under  the  influence  of  the  reaction,  attempted  to 
extinguish  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  Protestant 
Church,  she  threw  herself  fearlessly  into  the  breach. 
A  short  time  before  her  death  she  went  on  a  visit 
to  Pesth.  She  was  there  taken  ill  with  influenza, 
which  soon  assumed  a  typhoidal  character,  and 
ultimately  reached  the  brain.  Her  son,  the  Arch- 
duke Joseph,  and  her  daughter  Elizabeth,  w^ife  of 
the  Archduke  jMax  Ferdinand,  both  of  them 
devotedly  attached  to  her,  were  with  lier  during 
the  illness,  and  the  Protestant  pastors  of  Pesth  and 
Buda  were  admitted  freely  to  her  sick-bed.  Slie 
died  in  peace,  in  full  confidence  of  a  glorious 
resurrection,  on  the  30th  March,  1855.  She  died 
where  she  would  have  wished,  among  her  Christian 
friends  in  Hungary,  who  were  about  her  in  her  Inst 
hours,  and  witnessed  her  triumphant  death. 


47 


CH/VPTER  VI. 

ADOLPH'S   DEPARTURE   FROM   PESTH. 

Adolph  leaves  Pesth  with  Edersheim  and  Tomory — How  thev 
got  away — Edersbeim's  Conversion  and  Career — Kapid 
progress  of  the  Mission — Troublous  times — The  Hungarian 
War — Great  Success  afterwards — The  fields  ripe  unto 
Harvest — Expulsion  of  the  Missionaries — Mission  ^Yo^k 
resumed. 

AFTER  tlie  iDaptism  of  the  Sp.phirs,  tlieir  light 
shone  with  increasins:  brio-htness  on  all  around 
them.  Adolph  became  a  zealous  little  Evangelist, 
and  when  Dr.  Duncan  prepared  to  go  to  Scotland 
to  begin  his  professorial  work  in  Edinburgh,  old 
Mr.  Saphir  wished,  much  as  he  loved  him,  to 
give  up  his  Benjamin,  to  be  educated  and  prepared 
for  the  Christian  ministry.  xVnd  so,  after  mucli 
prayer  and  consideration  and  sorrow  of  heart,  it 
was  resolved  to  part  wdtli  the  loved  Adolph,  the 
bright  spirit  of  the  liome,  to  be  trained  for  this 
most  important  work.  All  the  members  of  tlie 
family,  father  and  mother  and  sisters,  even 
Adolph  himself,  acquiesced  in  the  separation,  as 
necessary  for  this  purpose,  but  not  without  many 
tears.     He  left  his  fathers  house  in  the  autumn 


48  ADOLPII  LEAVES  PESTH. 

of  1843,  and  weut  to  Dr.  Duncan  to  Edinburgh, 
that  he  might  perfect  his  knowledge  of  English. 
He  was  then  only  twelve  years  of  age,  and 
having  been  the  beloved  companion  of  his  fatlier, 
especially  in  their  latter  times  of  trial  and  of 
victory,  the  parting  was  a  terrible  wrench  to  the 
old  man.  Adolph  was  never  able  to  return  to 
Pesth,  and  he  only  once  afterwards  met  his  father, 
on  the  occasion  of  a  visit  of  his  parents  to  their 
daughter,  Mrs.  Schwartz,  at  Berlin.  He  could  not 
return,  even  for  a  visit,  on  attaining  manhood,  as 
he  would  have  been  called  on  to  serve  in  the  army. 
The-  method  of  his  leaviuo;  Pesth  was  in  some 
ways  as  remarkable  as  the  other  events  of  the 
mission.  It  was  resolved  to  send  two  others 
also — Alfred  Edersheim  and  Alexander  Tomory, 
both  able  converts  of  the  mission — to  complete 
their  theological  studies  in  Edinburgh ;  but  there 
was  a  difficulty  in  getting  them  away,  as  the 
Government  of  Austria  would  not  allow  its  sul)- 
jects  to  leave  the  country,  before  they  had  per- 
formed their  military  service.  Fortunately,  the 
well-known  Indian  missionary,  Dr.  John  AYilson 
of  Bombay,  arrived  in  Pesth  at  the  time  on  his 
way  to  Scotland,  accompanied  by  Duujaboi,  a 
Parsee  convert.  He  was  regarded  by  the  authori- 
ties as  a  man  of  distinction,  and  was  therefore 
permitted  to  take  with  him  persons  in  his  service. 
Edersheim  was  appointed  his  secretary,  Saphir 
and  Tomory  to  other  offices,  and  thus  all  three 
got  away  without  interference. 


ALFRED   EDERSHEIM,   JXD.  49 

As  Alfred  Edersheim  became  afterwards  well 
known,  especially  through  his  work,  TJve  Life 
and  Times  of  the  MessiaJi,  a  short  account  of  his 
conversion  and  life,  written  by  Mr.  Wingate, 
will  interest  our  readers  : — 

i\.mong  the  many  distinguished  trophies  of 
Divine  grace  which  it  has  pleased  the  great  Head 
of  His  Church  to  bestow  on  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland's  mission  to  the  Jews  in  Hungary,  Dr. 
Saphir  and  Alfred  Edersheim,  D.D.,  Ph.D.,''M.A., 
Oxon.,  late  Warburton  Lecturer  of  Lincoln's  Jnn, 
and  Grinfield  Lecturer  of  the  University  of  Oxford, 
were  the  most  distinguished. 

On  reaching  Buda-pest  in  1847,  young  Eders- 
heim, then  about  seventeen,  became  a  student  at 
the  University.  He  had  been  brought  up  luxuri- 
ously in  Vienna,  and  w^as  one  of  the  leaders  of 
fashion.  He  was  highly  educated,  spoke  Latin 
fluently,  knew  Greek,  German,  French,  Hebrew, 
Hungarian,  and  Italian.  When  Cremieux,  the  head 
of  the  French  bar,  paid  a  visit  to  Vienna,  the 
synagogue  presented  liim  with  an  address,  and 
deputed  young  Edersheim  to  deliver  it.  Cremieux 
was  so  pleased  wath  his  eloquence,  that  he  offered 
his  father  to  take  his  son  to  Paris  and  provide  for 
him  for  life,  but  his  parents  would  not  give  him 
up.  This  was  the  year  previous  to  our  meeting. 
His  tutor.  Dr.  Porgos,  spoke  English,  and  intro- 
duced him  to  the  Kev.  Dr.  Duncan,  the  Kev.  Mr. 
Smith,  and  myself.  We  felt  much  interested  in 
him.     Dr.  Porgos  had  to  leave  for  Padua  to  get  liis 


50  EDERSHEUrS   CONVERSKW. 

medical  diploma,  and  thongli  still  a  Jew  in  religion, 
brought  his  pupil  to  me  and  said,  "  Mr.  AVingate, 
I  give  you  charge  of  Alfred ;  take  care  of  him." 
I  said,  ''  Porgos,  how  can  you,  a  Jew,  give  your 
pupil  to  me  ?  You  know  I  can  only  pray  that  he 
may  be  a  true  Christian."  "  Never  mind  ;  I  know 
no  one  who  will  so  conscientiously  care  for  him. 
1  am  off  for  six  months.'' 

Before  the  winter  was  over,  Edersheim  was  under 
the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  had  glorious 
views  of  the  Divinity  of  Christ.  Trusting  in  His 
one  Sacrifice  and  filled  with  the  peace  of  God,  he 
gave  himself  up  to  l^e  His  servant  in  any  way 
it  might  please  God  to  direct  him.  The  Jews 
were  astonished.  He  opened  a  class  to  teach  the 
students  English,  on  the  condition  that  the  Bible 
should  be  their  only  lesson  book.  Baptized,  and 
now  full  of  life  and  vigour,  it  was  resolved  that 
he  should  o'o  to  Edinburcvh  to  the  Eev.  Pro- 
fessor  Duncan's,  to  complete  there  his  theological 
studies. 

Edersheim  after  ordination  was,  first,  missionary 
to  the  Jews  at  Jassy,  Koumania,  and  then  minister 
for  many  years  at  the  Free  College  Church,  Old 
Aberdeen.  Severe  illness  brought  him  south,  and 
Principal  Chalmers  and  I  advised  Torquay,  as  one 
lung  was  already  affected.  At  Torquay  he  went 
to  a  hotel — the  best  there ;  but  finding  that  it 
was  beyond  his  resources,  he  sent  for  the  landlord 
and  asked  for  his  bill.  The  landlord,  an  earnest 
Christian,  told  him  to  leave  that  to  him.     Mean-^ 


CAREER,   ILLNESS,   AND   DEATH.  51 


while  his  presence  was  talked  about  in  Torquay, 
and  a  deputation  waited  on  him  to  ask  him  to 
preach  in  a  room  of  the  hotel.  People  flocked  to 
him,  and  in  about  eighteen  months  I  was  called 
to  introduce  him,  in  the  beautiful  Scotch  Church 
of  Torquay,  built  for  him,  where  he  was  blessed 
to  the  salvation  of  many — specially  of  the  upper 
classes.  Some  years  later  he  was  seized  again  with 
inflammation  of  the  lungs,  and  had  to  resign  his 
charo'e.  MtQx  a  stav  in  the  Riviera,  he  settled  in 
Bournemouth.  Here  he  held  private  meetings 
and  gave  himself  to  literary  work.  He  then 
joined  the  Church  of  England,  and  became  a  vicar 
in  Dorsetshire.  Spiritual  blessings  followed  him 
everywhere,  and  every  year  added  to  his  published 
books.  As  a  preacher,  his  eloquence  and  sincerity 
gained  for  him  great  respect ;  and  he  was  the  only 
Hebrew  Christian  clergyman,  so  far  as  I  know,  who 
was  invited  by  the  late  Dean  Stanley  to  preach 
in  Westminster  Abbey,  and  by  Dean  Vaughan 
in  the  Temple  Church.  He  was  appointed  "  Select 
Preacher  "  in  the  University  of  Oxford.  His  large 
and  increasing  literary  labours  induced  him  to 
resign  his  country  living,  and  he  removed  to 
Oxford,  where  he  wrote  his  great  work,  The  Life 
and  Times  of  the  Messiah.     He  died  in  1889. 

In  Principal    Brown's   well-known    Memoirs   of 
Dr.  Dwican,^  Dr.  Smith  oives  an  account  of  the 

1  See  Life  of  the  late  Jolin  Duncan,  LL.D.,  by  David  Brown, 
D.D.,  pp.  353-4. 


52  PROGRESS    OF  THE  PESTH  MISSION. 


progress  made  by  the  mission,  after   Dr.   Duncan 
had  left  Pesth  :— 

The  parting  with  him  was  painful,  but  the 
faithful  Lord,  who  had  stood  by  us  in  similar 
circumstances  the  year  before,  kept  us  from 
despondency ;  nor  was  our  confidence  misplaced. 
The  Word  of  God  grew,  and  multiplied  greatly, 
and  the  Lord  added  to  the  Church,  if  not  daily, 
yet  from  time  to  time,  such  as  should  be  saved. 
The  blessino[  which  rested  on  the  mission  was  even 
less  conspicuous  in  the  number  of  converts  than 
in  the  love,  harmony,  and  mutual  confidence  which 
reio:ned  amono;  them.  Strano;ers  who  visited  us 
from  many  cjuarters  felt,  according  to  their  own 
statement,  as  if,  overleaping  the  lapse  of  centuries, 
they  had  suddenly  stepped  into  the  midst  of  the 
Apostolic  Church.  Mr.  Saphir  was  associated  with 
us  in  the  work,  and  proved  by  his  deep  piety, 
his  rare  humility,  and  his  great  learning,  a  most 
efficient  coadjutor.  A  school  was  established  under 
the  auspices  of  his  singularly  devoted  son  Philipp, 
of  whose  life  a  sketch  is  given  in  a  later  chapter, 
which,  before  the  premature  death  of  its  founder, 
immbered  more  than  a  hundred  children,  to  all  of 
whom  there  was  imparted  a  thoroughly  Christian 
education,  not  only  with  the  consent,  but  in  many 
cases  with  the  most  cordial  approval,  of  their 
Jewish  parents.  A  superior  class  of  colporteurs 
or  evangelists  were  trained,  and  sent  into  all 
parts  of  Hungary,  meeting,  wherever  they  went, 
with  eager  inquiries,  regarding  the  strange  reports 


TROUBLOUS  TIMES.  53 

of  conversions  in  Pestli,  wliicli  Lad  penetrated 
into  every  corner  of  the  country.  The  friendly 
alliance  between  us  and  the  Protestant  pastors 
of  Pesth  and  Buda,  which  had  been  initiated  in 
the  time  of  Dr.  Duncan,  became  more  and  more 
intimate.  Weekly  ministerial  conferences  were  set 
on  foot,  which,  besides  being  productive  of  direct 
spiritual  benefit  to  these  brethren,  and  to  all  of 
us,  enabled  the  mission  through  them  to  exercise 
a  powerful,  and  in  some  respects  even  a  deter- 
minino'  influence  on  the  welfare  of  the  Protestant 
Church,  during  the  perilous  times  that  followed. 

These  troublous  times  beo-an  with  the  !j;feat  war 
of  1849,  when  the  Hungarians,  headed  by  Kossuth, 
soug^ht  to  establish  their  independence,  and  Eussia 
united  with  Austria,  to  fight  against  the  Magyars. 
Of  this  period  Dr.  Smith  gives  a  vivid  jDicture  : — 

The  years  1848-49  brought  great  disaster  and 
woe  on  Hunoary.  The  tide  of  battle  rolled  over 
the  land  once  and  again,  from  the  extreme  limit 
of  Transylvania  to  the  very  gates  of  Vienna. 
Wave  succeeded  wave,  sweeping  many  thousands 
of  victims  into  eternity.  The  soil  was  drenched 
with  l^lood,  and  the  s\^'ord  grew  weary  w^ith 
slaughter.  The  fortress  of  Buda  was  taken  and 
retaken  several  times  by  the  contending  forces. 
Pesth  was  three  times  bombarded.  One  bomb- 
sliell  passed  right  through  my  own  house,  and 
fell  into  the  court  behind.  Another  exploded  in 
mv    studv,    and    set    fire    to    mv    furniture    and 


54  THE  FIELDS   RIPE   UNTO   HARVEST. 

books.  A  state  of  iDdescribable  confusion  pre- 
vailed throughout  the  country,  and,  after  the  war 
was  concluded,  a  reign  of  terror,  by  arrests  and 
executions,  began. 

The  missionaries  had  to  retire  for  a  time,  but 
when  they  returned  they  found  the  fields  ripe  unto 
harvest : — 

Having  lost  their  earthly  treasures,  people  had 
begun  to  long  for  something  less  perishable  and 
uncertain.  A  thirst  sprang  up  for  the  Word  of 
God  such  as  had  never  existed  in  Hungary  before. 
Our  work  had  been  interrupted  during  the  war, 
but  now,  towards  the  end  of  1849,  it  was  resumed 
with  tenfold  results.  Our  evangelists  went  forth 
again  on  their  mission,  and  the  eagerness  of  the 
peoj)le  to  possess  copies  of  the  Bible  was  such  that 
for  a  time  our  su^^ply  ran  short,  and  we  could  not 
meet  the  demand. 

But  while  this  blessed  work  was  going  on,  the 
clouds  begun  to  lower  over  our  heads.  The  Aus- 
trian Government,  after  wavering  for  a  time,  now 
finally  determined  the  course  of  its  future  policy. 
It  was  resolved  to  carry  matters  with  a  high  hand, 
to  bid  defiance  to  public  opinion,  to  suppress  the 
last  remains  of  public  liberty,  and,  above  all,  to 
throw  the  whole  education  of  the  country  into  the 
hands  of  the  Jesuits.  .  .  .  The  principle  of  free 
inquiry  asserted  by  Protestants  made  them  pecu- 
liarly obnoxious  to  the  Government.  .  .  .  The 
measures  adopted  against  the  Lutheran  and  Re- 
formed Churches   became  every  day  harsher  and 


EXPULSION   OF   THE  MISSIONARIES.  55 

more  tyrannical.  .  .  .  We  had  meanwhile  been 
pursuing  our  usual  course  quietly  and  unosten- 
tatiously. We  could  not  expect  this  state  of 
things  to  last,  and  felt,  but  too  truly,  that  the  end 
was  at  hand.  At  length  the  thunder-cloud  burst 
on  our  heads  in  the  first  week  of  January  1852. 
We  were  ordered  to  leave  the  country  within  ten 
days,  and  all  efforts  to  prevent  this  being  enforced 
proved  vain. 

A  thousand  cords,  which  bound  us  to  a  land 
where  we  had  seen  so  many  marvels  of  God's 
grace,  to  its  Church,  to  individuals,  to  brethren 
dearly  and  tenderly  loved,  were  at  once  and 
violently  snapped  asunder.  The  desolation  of 
heart  I  felt  in  that  hour  I  cannot  describe.  There 
was  an  agony  in  it  which  I  had  never  known 
before,  an  agony  w^hich  increased  as  we  began  to 
dismantle  our  happy  home  ;  and  its  bare  cheerless 
walls  became  a  picture  of  our  own  hearts.  That 
Sabbath  was  devoted  to  visiting  our  little  flock  in 
their  own  houses.  The  chapel  was  closed  by  order 
of  the  Government,  so  that  we  could  not  take 
leave  of  them  in  public.  K  spy  was  prowling 
about  the  door,  to  see  if  any  one  entered  it.  What 
a  contrast  to  the  days  when  with  gladsome  step 
we  were  wont  to  ascend  into  the  house  of  God,  to 
behold  His  beauty  in  His  sanctuary  I  On  a  dreary 
winter  morning,  between  four  and  five,  we  started 
on  our  journey.  The  last  faces  I  saw  were  those  of 
two  Hungarian  pastors,  with  a  look  on  them  which 
wont   to    my  very  heart.      Thus    ended    our   ten 


56  OLD   MR.    ^APHIRS   PEACEFUL   END. 

years'  sojourn  in  the  capital  of  Hungary.  We  had 
been  brought  thither  by  the  hand  of  God  ;  we  were 
driven  thence  by  the  malice  of  Satan. 

After  the  expulsion  of  the  missionaries  old  Mr. 
Saphir  continued  to  act,  from  1852  to  1861,  as 
agent  of  the  mission  of  the  Free  Church  to  the  Jew^s 
in  Pesth,  under  the  recognized  official  guidance  of 
Superintendent  Torok,  who  took  the  deepest  interest 
in  the  work.  In  the  school,  Mr.  Saphir  had  about 
six  or  eight  teachers  under  him,  and  about  300 
to  400  children  in  attendance.  He  conducted  a 
service  in  his  own  room  on  the  Sundays.  He 
died  in  1864,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four,  peacefully 
and  joyfully  resting  in  Jesus,  the  Messiah,  the 
Saviour,  and  the  King  of  Israel. 

In  1861  Mr.  Van  Andel  was  appointed  mission- 
ary, and  in  1863  Mr.  Konig.  The  obstacles  were 
then  removed.  For  the  last  twenty  years  the 
Eev.  Andrew  Moody,  the  nejjliew  of  Dr.  Moody 
Stuart,  has  carried  on  the  w^ork  with  great  interest. 
Mr.  Moody  writes  : — "  The  school  founded  by 
Philip  Saphir  forty-six  years  ago,  and  of  which  I 
have  charge,  has  become,  as  you  are  aware,  a 
very  large  institution.  We  enrolled  last  year  511 
pupils.  The  aged  father,  Israel  Saphir,  was  still 
alive  when  I  arrived  in  this  city  in  1864.  I  saw 
him  before  he  died.  When  I  asked  him  if  he 
remembered  Dr.  Duncan,  he  said,  laying  his  hand 
on  his  heart,  '  I  have  him  here  ! '  A  considerable 
number   of  Jews   and   Jewesses,  old   and   young. 


WIDESPREAD   INFLUENCE   OF  MISSION.      57 

have  been  baptized  in  connection  with  our  mission 
during  the  last  three  years." 

Few  missions,  either  Jewish  or  other,  have  had  so 
remarkable  a  history  or  so  widespread  an  influence 
as  that  of  Pesth.  It  gave  an  impetus  to  Jewish 
missions,  the  effect  of  which  will  never  pass  away, 
and  among  its  other  manifold  results,  produced 
Adolph   Saphir. 


58 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ADOLPH'S  EDUCATION  IN  BERLIN. 

Adolph  in  Edinburgh — Mrs.  Duncan — Education  in  Berlin, 
1844  to  1848 — Attends  the  Gymnasium — Religious  Diffi- 
culties— Letter  to  Mr.  Wingate — Becomes  acquainted 
with  the  Rev.  Theodore  Meyer — Happy  Influence  of  this 
Friendship — Effect  of  his  Difficulties  on  his  future  Doctrine 
and  Teaching. 

ADOLPH  spent  half  a  year  in  1843-44,  together 
with  Edersheim  and  Tomoiy,  in  the  house  of 
Dr.  Duncan  in  Edinburgh,  where  he  improved  in 
health,  and  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  English. 
Here  he  enjoyed  the  truly  motherly  care  of  Mrs. 
Duncan,  who  had  been  an  immense  help  to  her 
husband  in  his  work  in  Hungary.  Mr.  Tomory 
thus  describes  her  : — Her  sweet  and  powerful  influ- 
ence was  felt  by  all.  She  was  devoted,  kind,  and 
affable ;  well  fitted  for  the  important  position  and 
the  great  opportunities  which  the  Head  of  the 
Church  vouchsafed  to  them.  Along  with  devoted- 
ness  and  piety  she  was  possessed  of  singularly  good 
sense  and  practical  wisdom  ;  fitted  in  every  way 
to  be  a  mother  in  Israel.  She  did  great  service 
to  the  Church  in  taking  care  of  the  Doctor  during 


ADOLPH  IN  EDINBURGH.  59 


his  labours  in  Pestli ;  and  after  he  accepted  the  call 
to  the  Professorship  in  Edinburgh,  she  took  her  full 
share  of  the  work  and  the  responsibilities,  and 
we  felt  her  kindness  towards  us.  She  had  a 
smile  and  a  word  of  counsel  for  us  all.  She  was 
beloved  by  all,  and  very  popular.  I  will  ever 
remember  Vvdth  thankfulness  that  the  Lord  gave 
me  the  precious  opportunity  of  living  under  the 
roof  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Duncan.  What  many  a 
minister  owes  to  a  godly  mother,  the  Lord  granted 
me  to  enjoy  as  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land, 
tlirouo;h  the  kindness  and  wisdom  of  that  sinou- 
larly  devoted  mother  in  Israel.  Edersheim,  Adolph 
Saphir,  and  myself  lived  with  them  during  the 
first  session  after  the  Disruption.  What  a  heavy 
charge,  to  have  three  young  inexperienced  youths 
to  deal  with  ! — but  her  kind  and  judicious  ways 
made  it  all  easy.  She  had  an  eye  upon  our 
comfort  and  upon  our  studies,  Scotticizing  us, 
and  imbuing  us  with  good  principles.  Her  in- 
fluence over  us  was  j)aramount. 

After  his  stay  in  Edinburgh  Adolph  went  to 
Berlin,  to  the  house  of  the  Kev.  Charles  Schwartz, 
who  had  married  his  eldest  sister.  Mr.  Schwartz 
had  just  arrived  there  from  Constantinople  as  a 
Jewish  missionary  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland, 
and  it  was  considered  best  that  Adolph  should  be 
with  his  relatives,  as  he  was  still  only  in  his 
thirteenth  year.  In  Berlin  he  could  go  on  with 
liis  education  uninterruptedly,  because  German  was 
to  him   his  mother  tongue,  which  he  had  spoken 


60  SENT   TO   BERLIN. 

from  infancy,  and  in  which  he  had  received  his 
early  education.  He  was  to  the  last  more  eloquent 
and  telling  in  German  than  even  in  English,  and 
in  conversation,  whenever  he  was  deeply  interested, 
he  loved  best  to  speak  in  German.  He  speaks 
thus  himself  as  to  his  education  in  Berlin: — "After 
six  months  at  Edinburgh,  where  I  stayed  at  the 
house  of  the  learned  and  pious  Orientalist  and 
expositor,  Dr.  John  Duncan,  and  acquired  the 
English  language,  I  was  sent  to  my  brother-in-law, 
the  Kev.  Charles  (afterwards  Dr.)  Schwartz,  who 
at  that  time  was  working  in  Berlin,  as  Jewish 
missionary  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland.  In 
Berlin  I  attended  a  public  school  for  three  years 
and  a  half.  Towards  the  end  of  this  time  I  was 
removed  into  the  upper  fifth  form,  having  obtained 
the  highest  number  of  marks.  It  was  my  wish 
to  finish  the  prescribed  course  at  Berlin,  but  my 
brother-in-law  left  for  Amsterdam,  and  I  was 
compelled  to  go  to  Scotland,  where  I  had  friends 
who  took  a  kindly  interest  in  me.  I  was  then  in 
my  seventeenth  year." 

In  Berlin  he  attended  the  Gymnasium,  from 
1844  to  1848.  This  portion  of  his  life,  from  the 
age  of  thirteen  to  seventeen,  was  very  important  as 
a  preparation  for  his  future  career.  He  acquired 
a  thorough  knowledge  not  only  of  German  liter- 
ature, but  also  of  German  philosophy,  as  Hegel - 
ianism,  which  enabled  him  to  understand  easily, 
in  after  years,  the  source  and  weakness  of  much 
of  the  half-fiedo-ed  Nationalism  which  has  reached 


LETTER   TO   MR.    WING  ATE.  61 


this  country  and  afFeetecl  so  much  various  branches 
of  theology.  Much  of  his  power  in  combating 
unbelief  arose  from  the  ordeal  through  which  he 
passed  in  these  Berlin  years.  He  never  lost  his 
spiritual  confidence  and  his  Christian  faith,  but  he 
passed  through  many  sharp  conflicts  and  dark  and 
gloomy  experiences. 

Before  referring  to  this,  we  may  quote  from 
an  affectionate  letter,  written  to  Mr.  Wingate.  It 
is  dated  near  the  end  of  his  Berlin  sojourn — 

"Having  the  opportunity  of  sending  my  hearty  love  to  you, 
and  my  hearty  thanks  for  your  last  kind  letter,  by  my  dear 
parents,  I  cannot  avoid  embracing  it.  I  have  great  joy  to 
see,  by  your  kind  note,  that  you  have  not  yet  forgotten  me, 
and  that  you,  who  have  instructed  me  in  the  doctrines  of  the 
blessed  Gospel,  and  by  whom  it  pleased  God  to  bring  salvation 
nigh  unto  me,  remember  me  still  before  the  Throne  of  Grace. 
Often  do  I  think,  with  a  joyful  and  grateful  mind,  on  those 
sweet  and  precious  hours  in  which  you  explained  to  me  the 
way  of  salvation,  in  which  you  read  with  me  the  Gospel  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  told  me  of  His  love  and  mercy  to  poor 
sinners,  and  invited  me  to  be  reconciled  with  God,  by  faith  in 
the  crucified  and  risen  Messiah. 

"  I  often  think  back  on  that  blessed  time,  important  for 
my  whole  life,  when  the  Lord  in  His  grace  and  mercy  called 
us  out  of  darkness  into  His  wonderful  light,  brought  us  from 
death  in  trespasses  and  sins  to  a  life  in  Him  in  whom  there  is 
all  life  and  all  light.  And  as  you  are  my  father  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  as  by  you  God  has  converted  me  to  His 
glad  and  free-making  Gospel,  I  feel  the  desire  to  write  and 
tell  you  all  concerning  me,  as  I  cannot  have  the  privilege  of 
personal  intercourse."  The  letter  thus  concludes — "  I  am 
getting  on  very  well  in  my  studies,  and  my  wish  and  desire 
is  that  I  may  be  one  day  able  to  do  something  in  Christ's 
kingdom,  and  be  of  some  use  in  bringing  nigh  salvation  to 
the  lost  sheep  of  the  House  of  Israel.     May  the  Lord  prepare 


62        BECOMES  ACQUAINTED    WITH  MEYER. 


me  for  His  work,  may  He  honour  me  to  labour  in  His  vine- 
yard, and  to  proclaim  the  glad  tidings  of  Zion, 

' '  Your  most  grateful  and  affectionate, 

"  Adolph  Saphir. 

''Berlin,  August  20,  1847. 
"Rev.  W.  Wingate,  Pesth,  Hungary." 

It  was  ill  1847  that  he  became  acquainted  with 
the  Rev.  Theodore  Meyer,^  who  to  the  end  of  his 
life  was  one  of  the  most  loved  of  his  friends. 
Mr.  Meyer,  who  had  been  a  Jewish  Eabbi  in 
Mecklenburg  at  Schwerin  Btitzow,  but  whose  eyes 
had  been  opened  to  the  trutli,  came  to  Berlin, 
where  lie  was  warmly  received  by  Neander,  Heng- 
stenberg,  and  other  well-known  theologians  of  the 
period,  and  where  he  acquired  distinction  as  a 
scholar,  in  the  ranks  of  men  noted  for  their 
scliolarshi|).  Dr.  Hengstenberg  introduced  Meyer 
to  Schwartz,  and  at  Schwartz's  house,  Meyer  met 
the  young  Adolph,  then  nearly  sixteen  years  of  age, 
and  a  pupil  in  the  upper  cLass  of  the  Gymnasium. 
They  were  at  once  attracted  to  each  other.  Meyer 
was  struck  with  the  thoughtfulness,  genius,  and 
sincerity  of  Saphir,  and  young  Saphir  found  in 
Meyer  a  friend  to  wliom  he  could  freely  unbosom 
himself.  Soon  Meyer  became  his  Hebrew  teacher, 
and  was  constantly  with  him,  introducing  him  to 
circles  which,  being  still  so  young  and  not  a 
University  student,  he  could  not  himself  have 
entered. 

This    friendship    was    to    Adolph    of    much    im- 

^  Now    Jewish    missionary    of    the    English    Presbyterian 
Church  in  London. 


MEYERS  HAPPY  IXFLtlE^CE.  63 


portance,  for  Meyer  found  him  in  a  state  of  con- 
siderable anxiety  and  depression.  He  had  not  lost 
his  faith,  which  had  been  so  bright  at  the  time 
of  his  conversion  ;  but  it  was  clouded  over  by  the 
influences  around  him.  The  whole  atmosphere  of 
the  Gymnasium  was  rationalistic.  Hegelianism, 
Pantheism,  everything  tending  to  unbelief  in  the 
Divine  and  supernatural,  seemed  to  be  in  the 
very  air  breathed  by  the  teachers  and  the  abler 
pupils.  Eeligion  was  generally  at  a  low  ebb 
in  Berlin,  and  the  Jewish  families  with  whom 
he  associated  were  intensely  worldly  and  almost 
materialistic.  For  a  youth  of  philosophic  insight 
and  ability,  who  could  appreciate  the  attractions 
of  the  Hegelian  philosophy,  and  of  Pantheism 
generally,  and  could  look  at  things  from  their 
standpoint,  this  was  no  ordinary  trial.  A  less 
profound  mind  would  have  been  less  afiected. 
Divine  grace  within,  and  the  experiences  he  had 
had  of  the  intense  reality  of  his  relations  with 
God  in  Christ,  struggled  against  it,  but  the 
struggle  was  severe,  and  it  is  cjuite  possible  that 
it  mio'ht  have  undermined  his  delicate  constitution, 
if  he  had  not  met  with  a  friend  with  whom  he  had 
thorough  sympathy,  to  whom  he  could  unbosom 
himself,  who  could  understand  him  and  enter  with 
him  into  the  philosophical  speculations,  and  yet 
help  to  remove  away  the  clouds  that  troubled  him. 
He  thus  refers  to  this  struggle  in  a  letter,  dealing 
with  Broad-Churchism,  written  to  a  friend  in  1877  : 
— "  I  passed  for  several  years  through  many  doubts 


64  EFFECT   OF  HIS  DIFFICULTIES. 


and  phases,  and  was  exposed  to  very  '  broad '  and 
even  pantheistic  influences,  and  I  remember  that  I 
was  often  irritated  by  severe  and  impatient  orthodox 
treatment.  The  reading  of  Scripture  and  of  Pascal's 
Pensees,  and  the  friendship  of  a  few  really  godly 
Christians  dispelled  the  mists.  I  have  a  great 
horror  of  the  stveetesf,  modified,  and  rationalized 
Christianity  a  Id  Dean  Stanley,  &c.,  although  1 
know  that  excellent  men  have  felt  drawn  into  it. 
But  I  think  that  they  have  still  the  quintessence 
of  the  old  views  sustaining  them."  And  again 
he  writes  to  the  same  correspondent,  "  I  suff'ered 
for  years  from  the  teaching  of  Schleiermacher's 
disciples  when  I  was  about  seventeen." 

This  experience  of  Saphir's  in  the  depths — his 
thorough  understanding  of  the  Pantheistic  philo- 
sophy— had,  no  doubt,  in  God's  providence,  a  great 
influence  on  his  future,  enabling  him  to  take  a 
broad  and  philosophic  view  of  things,  and  to  resist 
the  subtle  influences  of  a  system,  which  indirectly 
perplexes  multitudes  who  do  not  understand  the 
sources  or  the  philosophy.  One  traces  in  the 
writings  of  Saphir  that  he  sees  far  beneath  the 
surface,  that  he  comprehends  clearly  the  connecting 
links,  and  that  he  maintains  the  Divine  authority 
of  Scripture  throughout,  not  because  he  does  not 
appreciate  the  questions  raised,  but  because  he 
understands  them  so  thoroughly  that  he  at  once 
traces  influences  destructive  of  Christianity,  as  a 
Divine  religion,  where  many  theologians,  less  pro- 
found, become  bewildered  in  minutiae. 


65 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

PHILIPP   SAPHIR   AND   HIS   SISTER   ELIZABETH. 

Memoir  of  Philipp  written  by  Adolph  when  a  Student  in 
Edinburgh — Philipp's  early  Carelessness  and  Worldliness 
— Conversion  and  Baptism — Training  at  Carlsruhe — Deli- 
cacy— Intense  Sufferings — Starting  Young  Men's  Society 
— Opening  of  School  for  Jewish  Children — Its  Great 
Success — His  Joyful  Death — Elizabeth  Saphir  described  by 
her  Sister. 

FULLY  to  appreciate  the  blessed  results  of  tiie 
conversion  of  the  Saphir  household,  we  must 
not  overlook  the  devoted  career  of  the  elder  brother 
Philipp,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  earlier  chapters. 
His  memoir,  written  by  Adolph  when  a  student 
in  Edinburgh,  is  of  remarkable  interest.  A  Life 
so  devoted  and  so  nobly  spent  for  the  good  of 
those  around  him,  in  the  midst  of  great  physical 
suffering  and  depression,  we  have  seldom  read.  It 
is  a  beautiful  life.  We  efive  some  of  the  leadino- 
features  as  brought  out  in  his  brother  Adolph's 
narrative,  which  is  of  thrilling  interest  throughout, 
and  shows  how,  when  there  is  a  burning  zeal  for 
Christ,  all  impossibilities  vanish. 

Although  he  received  a  good  education  at  home, 
the  temptations   of   the  world    proved    too  strong 


66         THE  STATE   OF  RELIGION  PICTURED. 

for  Philipp,  and  he  led  a  careless  and  wild  life. 
Yet  he  found  no  lasting  happiness  in  worldly  joys 
and  sins,  and  at  times  a  strong  reaction  would  take 
place.  Kesolutions  of  improvement  were  formed. 
Sometimes  he  turned  to  the  strict  observance  of 
the  Jewish  laws  and  institutions,  at  other  times 
he  felt  attracted  by  the  grandeur  of  the  Komish 
Church,   and  its  outward  show   of  devotion. 

On  the  one  hand,  the  unmeaning,  often  hypo- 
critical, at  best  lifeless,  formalism  and  orthodoxy 
of  the  strict  Jews  could  produce  no  other  effect 
than  that  of  repelling  him,  and  impressing  him 
with  the  feeling  that  in  these  antiquated  forms 
there  was  no  spirit,  and  that  these  ceremonies  were 
not  the  indices  of  a  holy  and  devoted  life ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  hollow  infidelity,  the  un- 
defined morality,  the  witty  scorn  of  all  positive 
religion  which  characterized  the  young,  talented, 
and  gifted,  while  they  attracted  him,  inspired  no 
principle,  strength,  or  object  of  life.  Again,  the 
Christian  population  was  without  light,  and  dead. 
Christianity  had  become  a  lifeless  form.  Christ 
was  never  shown  to  him.  Gay  life,  amusements 
of  every  kind,  less  of  an  intellectual  than  a  merely 
carnal  and  sensual  nature,  seemed  to  form  the 
centre  .of  the  life  of  those  so-called  Christians. 
But,  with  all  the  coldness  and  death  which  pre- 
vailed in  the  synagogue,  the  Old  Testament  was 
there  read  and  tauoht,  and  its  moralitv,  however 
deficiently  apprehended,  was  inculcated  ;  and,  by 
afflictions  sent   on   the  whole   population    and    his 


MEMOIR    OF   PHILIPP  SAPHIB.  07 

family  in  particular,   God  prepared  his  heart   for 
the  reception  of  the  truth. 

When  Philipp  was  fifteen  years  old  a  terrible  in- 
undation took  place  at  Pesth.  The  water  in  places 
reached  the  heio^ht  of  ten  feet,  and  stood  on  a  level 
with  the  window^  of  the  second  storey.  Many 
buildings  fell,  and  there  was  great  loss  of  life.  He 
was  especially  active,  and  saved  many  lives  and 
much  property.  This  event  made  a  deep  impres- 
sion, and  prepared  the  way  for  more  solemn 
convictions. 

In  1842,  about  a  year  after  the  establishment 
of  the  mission,  the  Rev.  C.  Schwartz  visited  Pesth 
on  his  way  to  Constantinople,  and  was  detained 
there  for  some  weeks.  He  addressed  many  Jews 
in  German,  and  produced  a  great  impression, 
among  others,  on  Philipp  Saphir,  then  nineteen 
years  of  age.  The  light  broke  in  upon  him.  He 
wrote  to  Mr.  Schwartz,  after  his  departure: — ''I 
thank  God  daily  for  having  sent  you  to  us,  and 
for  having  inclined  my  heart  to  receive  the  message 
you  brought,  and  to  enter  in  at  the  straight  gate 
which  leads  to  God.  ...  I  feel  the  strength  and 
joy  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  so  do  also  my  sister  and 
brother."  He  longed  also  for  others.  "  One  thought 
gives  me  much  pain  and  distress.  What  will 
become  of  your  parents,  your  relatives,  your 
people  ?  Mr.  Smith  and  Mr.  Wingate  seek  most 
earnestly  to  lead  me  to  salvation.  I  cannot  pray 
enough  for  them.'^ 

All  associated  with   him  remarked  that  he  was 


68  PHILIPFS   BAPTISM. 


altogether  a  changed  being.  He  sought  the 
direction  of  God  in  all  he  undertook,  and  the  Word 
of  God  was  his  delight.  But  nothing  was  more 
manifest  than  the  consciousness  of  sin  and  weak- 
ness, and  the  remembrance  of  sins  which,  although 
he  believed  them  to  be  forgiven  of  God,  could  not 
yet  be  forgotten  by  himself.  This  consciousness 
gave  him  that  modesty  and  humility  which  so 
characterized  him. 

On  Tuesday,  April  4,  1843,  he  was  baptized 
in  the  Calvinistic  church  of  Pesth,  by  the  super- 
intendent, the  Eev.  Paul  Torok.  He  wrote  two 
days  after  to  Mr.  Schwartz  : — Tuesday  was  the 
most  important  day  in  my  life.  I  was  admitted 
into  the  Church  of  Christ.  I  cannot  describe  my 
feelings  to  you.  Ah !  the  infinite  love  of  God  ! 
He  has  given  me  much  peace.  Nothing  will  de- 
prive me  of  it.  I  am  happy,  joyful ;  my  soul  is 
with  God.  I  praise  Christ  every  hour.  I  regard 
my  life  only  as  one  single  point,  and  have  death 
continually  in  view ;  therefore  I  lay  myself  into 
Christ's  arms  every  evening,  so  that,  if  it  should 
be  my  last  sleep,  I  may  fall  asleep  in  the  Lord. 
This  is  now  my  joy ;  but  the  week  before  my 
baptism  I  thought  upon  almost  nothing  else  but 
my  sins.  I  looked  back  upon  my  past  life.  I 
was  quite  overpowered  by  the  thought  of  Christ's 
redeeming  love,  and  I  wept  and  repented,  and  God 
has  wiped  away  my  tears,  and  I  have  heard  His 
voice,  "Be  of  good  cheer,  My  son,  thy  sins  are 
forgiven  thee." 


PHILIFFS    TRAINING.  69 

On  the  Sunday  following  he  received  for  the 
first  time  the  Lord's  Supper.  A  few  days  after 
he  left  Pesth  for  Carlsruhe,  to  be  trained  as  a 
teacher,  having  an  ardent  desire  to  be  useful  in 
spreading  the  truth  among  his  countrymen.  He 
began  his  studies  in  the  Carlsruhe  Seminary  for 
teachers,  with  great  diligence  and  earnestness.  He 
worked  from  five  in  the  morning  till  nine  at  night 
with  scarcely  any  interruption,  and  thus  under- 
mined his  constitution.  He  met  with  many  pious 
friends,  with  whom  he  had  refreshing  intercourse, 
and  continued  to  grow  in  the  grace  and  the  know- 
ledge of  Jesus  Christ.  At  this  time  he  wrote  to  a 
near  relative  who  was  then  very  sad  and  depressed, 
''Let  cares  become  prayers.  Luther  says,  a  man 
who  does  not  cast  his  care  upon  Christ  is  a  dead 
and  rejected  man.  Therefore,  as  a  good  soldier 
of  Christ,  bear  those  afflictions  patiently,  and 
overcome  them."  In  his  papers  of  that  summer 
he  often  renewed  the  covenant  he  made  with  God 
in  baptism.  Before  the  end  of  the  year  he  became 
ill  through  over-study.  The  submissiveness  of  his 
spirit  and  Christian  joy  in  his  illness  are  remarkably 
shown  in  these  words,  quoted  from  a  letter  written 
to  his  parents  in  Dec.  1843: — "It  is  my  duty  to 
inform  you  of  what  the  Lord  in  His  great  love  has 
done  to  me.  I  will  tell  you,  with  a  humble  heart, 
that  confesses  itself  guilty  and  deserving  of 
chastisement,  the  afflictions  which  our  wise  and 
gracious  God  has  sent  me, — and  my  lips  will  be 
opened  to  praise  Him.     It  would   be  my  greatest 


70     PHILIPFS  SUBMISSION   UNDER   SUFFERING. 


comfort  to  know,  that  like  chiklren  of  God,  to 
whom  all  things  work  together  for  good,  you  will 
regard  this  also  as  a  proof  of  the  love  of  Jesus, 
and  will  be  able,  without  murmuring  and 
questioning,  to  submit  cheerfully  to  God,  who 
loves  us  so  much."  "  Shall  I  be  able,"  he  says 
at  the  close,  "  to  complete  my  studies  ?  Ah  !  my 
joy  in  the  prospect  of  being  a  teacher  was  perhaps 
too  great." 

His  journal  in  1844  is  full  of  deep  humility 
and  earnest  devotedness  of  heart  to  God ;  self- 
examination  the  more  searching  because  the  light 
was  burning  so  brightly  within — the  light  of  the 
Spirit.  In  December  of  that  year  he  again 
became  ill,  and  from  this  time  he  lived,  with  but 
little  interruption,  a  life  of  sickness  and  pain. 

In  his  diary  we  find  a  prayer,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  portion : — "  I  thank  Thee  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart  for  this  punishment,  and  but 
one  thing  now  I  request  of  Thee — that  Thy  holy 
and  good  Spirit  may  effect  in  me  Thy  purpose  ; 
that  Thy  disciple  may  recover  in  body  and  mind  ; 
that  this  sickness  may  be  unto  life  eternal.  .  . 
Lord  Jesus,  I  hear  Thy  Amen.  If  I  die,  I  will  see 
and  praise  Thee.  If  I  recover,  the  rest  of  my  life 
will  flow  a  stream  of  gratitude,  spent  in  Thy 
service  to  the  honour  of  Thy  name." 

He  wrote  at  the  same  time  to  the  Rev.  C. 
Schwartz  : — "  Now  I  learn  how  God  loves  me.  I 
can  only  thank  God  for  this  illness.  I  am  very 
ill,  weak,  and  thin.     I  think  I  will  go  home  to  ni)' 


A    YOUNG   MEN'^  SOCIETY.  71 


Lord    and    Saviour.      I    look  forward    to    my   end 
with  joy." 

He  had  to  return  to  Pesth  in  1845.     His  ilhiess 
increased.       But    his    confidence    in    God    never 
wavered.     His  energetic  nature  could  not  endure 
idleness    and    inactivity.       A    union    of   believers, 
especially   of  such    as  were  in    the  strength   and 
vio-our  of  youth,  for  their  mutual  advancement  in 
Christ,  and  for  the  sowing  of  the  seed  of  Christ 
in  every  possible  way,  suggested  itself  as  the  best 
work  he  could  do.     He  called  round  him  a  meeting 
of  Christian  young  men,  who  entered  heartily  into 
his  idea,  and  a  Young  Men's  Society  was  constituted, 
on  the  following  basis.      1.  It  was  to  be  called  The 
Society   of    Young   Men.      2.   Its    object   was    to 
propagate  the  Kingdom  of  God,  especially  among 
young   men,   also    to    assist   brethren   in   distress, 
and   inquirers   after  truth.     3.  The   means  to   be 
employed  were  to  be  reading  of  the  Word  of  God, 
prayers,   and  contributions.     4.  The    Society  was 
to    meet    three    times    a    week    for    reading    and 
prayer.     5.  Only   true,   earnest-hearted   Christians 
were  to  be  invited  to  join  as  members ;  but  they 
were  to  try  to  bring  in  young  men  to  the  meetings. 
6.  There  was  to  be  a  weekly  collection  on  Saturdays; 
and    7.  there    were   to   be    annual    reports,   with 
accounts  of  the  finances. 

This  Society,  so  well  and  wisely  organized,  proved 
a  great  blessing,  and  gave  Philipp  much  joy,  cheer- 
ing him  in  his  suffering,  and  making  him  glad  in 
doing  work  for  Christ. 


72     PHILIPPS    VIEWS   OF   CHRISTIAN   TRUTH. 


His  views  of  Christian  truth  were  exceedingly 
clear,  like  those  of  his  brother  Adolph.  He 
writes  : — 

'■  I  do  not  merely  say  I  try  to  be  a  Christian,  but 
I  say  I  know  it,  and  the  Lord  knows  it.  I  am  a 
Christian.  .  .  .  God  makes  us  His  children  by  His 
grace  through  the  merit  of  Christ.  Every  Christian 
has  this  adoption — I,  as  much  as  Moses,  Paul, 
Peter.  It  is  God's  gift.  But  the  full  appropriation 
of  God's  gift,  the  sanctification  of  the  soul,  is 
different  in  different  individuals,  and  complete  only 
in  heaven.  .  .  .  When  the  work  of  sanctification  is 
most '  prosperous,  they  will  seek  the  oftener  to  see 
God's  grace  in  Christ  the  crucified.  .  .  .  Yes,  a 
child  of  God  is  and  remains  a  child  of  God,  in  good 
days  and  evil  days,  in  bright  days  and  dark  days, 
under  lively  and  under  dull  feelings,  in  the  storm 
and  stress  of  temptation,  yea,  even  in  his  fall. 
Winds,  waves,  mists,  will  not  rob  him  of  this  faith. 
I  am  a  child  of  God." 

When  lying  on  his  bed  of  weakness,  Philipp 
thought  whether  he  could  not  promote  in  some 
further  way  the  glory  and  the  Kingdom  of  Christ. 
"  How  happy  would  I  be,"  he  says  in  his  diary, 
•'  if  Christ  intended  to  do  anything  through  me,  a 
poor,  weak  man  !  0,  my  God,  make  me  a  blessing 
on  this  bed  of  sufi'ering  and  illness  ! " 

"  When  I  considered,"  he  writes,  "  that  my 
illness  would  probably  be  very  long,  I  thought — 
Could  you  not  do  something  during  the  time  of 
trial    for   Him  who    did  so  much   for   you  ?      So 


PFIILIPF   BEGINS  A    SCHOOL.  73 

1  thought  of  children,  and  teaching  them,  and 
I  began  with  one  boy  at  my  bedside.  In  a  few 
days  I  had  five,  seven,  ten ;  to-day,  I  have  thirty 
children,  about  ten  girls  and  the  rest  boys — a  school, 
you  see.  I  have  taught  them  now  for  a  month  ; 
and  as  Dr.  Keith  and  Mr.  Grant,  from  Scotland, 
passed  through,  they  examined  the  children,  to  the 
great  satisfaction  of  our  friends." 

He  wrote  thus  to  Dr.  Duncan  : — ''  In  fourteen 
or  fifteen  days  I  had  twenty-three  children  sitting 
before  my  bed — fourteen  Jewish  and  nine  Christian. 
I  can  scarcely  describe  my  feelings  as  I  commenced 
instruction.  It  was  soon  evident  that  the  Bible 
lessons  made  an  impression  on  the  children.  The 
boys  and  girls  learned  with  such  love  and  zeal,  that 
I  was  able  to  hold  an  examination.  .  .  I  must 
inform  you  that  I  never  asked  any  of  the  parents 
to  entrust  their  children  to  my  care.  Had  I 
possessed  the  wish  to  do  so,  my  lameness  and 
crutches  would  have  prevented  me.  The  parents, 
as  soon  as  they  heard  from  others  that  I  meant  to 
give  instruction  to  poor  children  gratis,  sent  their 
children  to  me.  As  my  school  increased,  I  was 
oblio-ed  to  chano-e  mv  lodoino-  for  one  more 
commodious.  I  was  anxious  to  provide  myself 
with  the  means  necessary  for  carrying  it  on. 
These,  with  the  exception  of  some  books  from 
Germany,  which  I  eagerly  w^ait  for,  were  speedily 
procured,  and  I  was  enabled  to  open  the  school 
with  fifty-two  children.  There  were  eight  Pro- 
testants,   twenty-one    Jewish    bo3^s,    and    twenty- 


74  JEWISH   OPPOSITION   TO   SCHOOL. 

three  Jewish  girls.  I  made  a  point  of  speaking 
personally  with  the  parents,  in  order  to  ascertain 
whether  the  children  had  their  approval,  when  they 
came  to  me.  I  immediately  drew  their  attention 
to  the  fact  that  I  was  no  longer  a  Jew,  but  a 
Christian  who  believed  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah 
that  was  already  come,  and  that  therefore  my 
school  was  a  Christian  school.  'I  teach,'  said  T, 
'  the  Evangelical  doctrine  as  I  find  it  revealed  in 
the  Word  of  God,  and  I  teach  the  same  whether 
my  pupils  be  Jews  or  Christians.  My  chief  object 
is  to  lead  the  children  to  reverence  and  love  God  ; 
if  you  do  not  object  to  the  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
I  joyfully  receive  your  children.'  I  was  obliged 
to  speak  in  this  manner,  as  I  easily  foresaw  that  if 
I  did  not  take  this  precaution  I  would  be  accused, 
in  the  event  of  my  encountering  opposition  from 
the  hostility  of  the  Jews." 

Thus  nobly  and  honestly,  on  his  sick-bed,  did 
he  carry  on  his  work.  Jewish  opposition  was 
aroused,  and  the  numbers  fell  in  one  day  from 
fifty-three  to  twenty-two ;  but  the  children  soon 
began  to  come  back.  Of  this  time  he  says — "  A 
boy,  when  he  heard  he  could  not  be  sent  to  the 
school  again,  began  to  weep  bitterly."  *'  I  have 
a  little  Jewish  girl  in  the  school,  who  will  not  be 
called  anything  but  a  Christian.  When  a  Jew 
told  her  the  other  day  that  Jesus  was  not  God, 
she  began  to  cry,  and  accused  the  unbeliever  to 
her  mother."  His  liberality  of  view  is  illustrated 
in    the   followino- : — ''  A    mother    came    with    her 


PROGRESS   OF  PHILIPFS  SCHOOL.  lb 


daughter,  and  told  me  that  the  Rabbi  had  preached 
against  me,  and  forbidden  the  parents  to  send  their 
children.  '  Is  not  this  very  bad  ? '  '  No,'  said  I, 
'  he  acts  conscientiously  as  his  conviction  commands 
him.  He  is  a  Jew,  I  am  a  Christian ;  he  does 
not  wish  to  see  Jewish  children  attracted  by 
Christianity.'  '  Never  mind,'  replied  she  ;  '  be  so 
good  as  to  receive  my  children  into  your  school' " 
"The  Jewish  children  give  me  more  satisfaction 
than  the  others.  They  put  so  many  questions, 
almost  always  sensible  ones,  and  sometimes  with 
such  deep  meaning  that  I  am  quite  astonished. 
Many  of  the  little  ones  rejoice  in  Christ.  At 
home  the  children  read  the  Bible  and  pray."  A 
service  was  instituted  for  Jewish  children  on  the 
Lord's  Day,  and  many  attended  and  listened 
attentively. 

"It  is  impossible,"  says  Adolph  in  the  Memoir, 
"to  describe  the  delight  and  happiness  which  he 
felt  in  teaching  these  poor  children.  Philipp  was 
naturally  very  lively  and  playful,  not  only  fond 
of  children,  but  able  and  willing  to  descend  to 
their  standpoint  and  become  a  child  to  them. 
His  hearty  interest  in  them,  his  sympathy  with 
them,  and  his  youthful  vivacity  and  cheerfulness 
gained  him  the  aflection  and  love  of  his  pupils." 

The  following  characteristics  remind  us  of  Adolph 
himself : — "  What  he  knew,  and  wished  to  com- 
municate, he  stated  plainly,  concisely,  and  directly. 
He  was  gifted,  moreover,  with  a  lively  imagination, 
and  apprehended  facts  not  merely  abstractly  with 


7G       EXCELLENCY   OF  PHILIPFS   TEACHING. 


his  reason,  but  with  the  iniiid's  eye,  picturing  them 
to  himself  distinctly  and  vividly."  He  adds  : — 
"  The  chief  excellency  of  his  teaching  consisted  in 
his  believing  and  acting  upon  the  principle  that  to 
educate  children  is  to  train  their  hearts  to  know 
and  love  God,  and  that  this  object  is  not  only  to 
be  kept  in  view  in  the  specific  religious  instruction, 
but  to  be  remembered  in  every  lesson  that  is 
taught." 

In  the  meantime  the  Young  Men's  Society  which 
Philipp  had  instituted  continued  to  prosper. 
Twenty  pounds  were  raised  in  the  first  year,  in 
connection  with  it,  chiefly  to  assist  those  in  need  ; 
and  the  meetings  on  Sundays  and  Thursdays  to 
study  the  Bible  were  most  refreshing. 

In  June  1847  he  had  to  leave  Pesth  for  a  time 
to  take  the  baths  at  Posteng  in  the  north  of 
Hungary.  He  was  away  a  month,  and  all  the 
time  he  was  active  in  missionary  work,  especi- 
ally among  the  Jews.  At  Pressburg,  where  he 
had  formerly  resided,  he  spoke  to  many  of  the 
Jews  he  had  known  before.  "  On  one  occasion,"  he 
writes,  ''  a  crowd  gathered,  and  one  woman  ])egan 
to  speak  to  me.  I  saw  in  her  face  bitter  iiatred 
and  aiiger.  I  am  thankful  I  was  able  to  speak 
with  her  in  meekness  and  love.  She  calied  me 
hypocrite  and  apostate,  and  began  to  describe 
my  death-bed  hours,  which,  she  said,  would  ho, 
terrible,  on  account  of  the  remorse  I  would  then 
feel  for  having  denied  my  faith.  I  waited  till  she 
had  finished  this  violent  oration,  and  then  told  her 


PHILTPFS   CHRISTIAN   WORK. 


a  few  things  about  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  asked  her 
to  think  them  over.  I  went  away  full  of  comfort, 
remembering  the  words  of  Christ,  '  Blessed  are  ye 
when  men  shall  revile  you  for  My  sake.'  " 

There  is  a  quiet  humour  in  the  following  : — "  T 
was  speaking  to  another  Jewess  on  the  coming  of 
the  Messiah,  as  promised  by  God  to  our  fathers. 
She  thought  it  a  sufficient  answer  that,  as  a  woman 
she  knew  nothing,  could  not  know  anything,  ought 
not  to  know  anything,  was  not  intended  by  God 
to  know  anything.  But  although  she  professed  so 
frankl}^  her  entire  ignorance,  she  showed  herself 
exceedingly  learned  and  skilful  in  reviling  and 
scoldino'  me.     Yet  I  made  her  listen  to  the  truth." 

o 

Of  the  crass  ignorance  of  the  people  an  example  is 
given  : — ^^  x4.no ther  woman,  to  whom  I  had  given 
a  Bible,  asked  me  whether  I  was  the  author  of  the 
Book  ;  a  Jewess  ! — one  of  that  nation  to  whom 
pertain  the  glory  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving 
of  the  Law." 

He  thus  yearns  over  his  people  : — "  Oh,  Israel, 
how  is  thine  eye  covered  with  a  veil ;  and  thy 
heart  also  !  Kend  thy  heart,  and  not  thy  gar- 
ments ;  turn  to  Him  who  alone  can  say  a  powerful 
Ephphatlia  to  thy  closed  eye  and  heart."  And  then, 
remembering  his  own  past : — "  Ah,  I  feel  such  an 
ardent  desire  to  testify  of  the  truth  in  this  city, 
where  I  led  such  a  orodless  life."  He  gives  manv 
examples  of  the  ignorance  of  the  Jews,  and  of  their 
materialism.  To  them  he  seemed  a  strange  phe- 
nomenon ;  l~)ecnuso  of  the  Christians  so  called,  none 


78  PHILIPFS  SUFFERINGS. 


spoke  as  he  did.  They  were  still  great  in  cere- 
monies, but  had  nothing  else.  "  To-day  is  Sabbath. 
Wherein  consists  the  sanctification  of  this  day 
among  the  Jews  ?  It  consists  in  three  j)oii^ts — 
They  wear  a  three-cornered  hat,  a  blue  frock-coat, 
and  velvet  pantaloons.  The  Jews  are  the  same 
during  the  week  as  to-day  ;  only  their  dress  is 
symbolical  of  a  difference  between  the  days." 

It  was  his  delight  to  do  good,  and  to  speak 
about  Christ ;  it  was  no  trouble  to  him  ;  it  came 
spontaneously.  Wherever  he  was,  he  sought 
anxiously  to  find  an  opportunity  of  telling  those 
around  him  what  was  to  him  the  life  and  treasure 
of  his  soul. 

He  returned  to  Pesth  in  July,  none  the  better, 
but  rather  the  worse,  for  the  baths.  He  was  then 
subjected  to  terrible  tortures  by  a  surgeon  probing 
the  wounds  in  his  legs.  Agonizing  pain  continued 
afterwards,  but  he  bore  it  patiently.  "  I  suffer,"  he 
says,  ^'  intense  pain,  but  I  have  resolved  not  to  say 
much  about  it.  Let  me  suffer  in  silence  and  solitude 
till  it  pleases  God  to  send  me  deliverance."  Again : — 
"  My  wounds  are  burned  every  day  with  caustic 
stone,  and  they  heed  not  my  cries.  I  wish  I 
could  bear  the  pain  more  patiently  in  those  terrible 
moments.  God  has  driven  me  into  deep  straits, 
but,  thanks  to  Him,  He  is  educating;  me  for  heaven. 
His  ways  are  dark.  So  long  as  we  are  down  here 
in  this  valley,  it  is  impossible  to  have  a  clear  view 
of  God's  plans  or  ways  ;  but  from  the  summit  of 
the   mountain  we   shall  be  able  to  see  it  all,  and 


PHILIPFS   CARE  FOR    CHILDREN.  79 

to  see  how,  in  every  step  and  turn  which  CtocI 
caused  us  to  make,  there  was  Avisdom,  blessing, 
and  love." 

He  recovered  a  little,  and  at  last,  in  October,  he 
got  back  to  his  school,  which  was  in  a  bad  state, 
but  soon  rallied  under  his  care.  He  thus  speaks  of 
his  pupils — "I  spoke  with  them,  one  by  one,  read 
with  them  God's  Word,  and  prayed  with  them, 
and  every  word  of  warning  I  gave  them  applied, 
I  felt,  as  much  to  myself  as  to  them.  So  we  con- 
fessed our  sins  together,  teacher  and  pupils,  and 
sought  God's  help.  One  of  the  children,  a  boy 
of  eight,  died  after  a  few  days'  illness,  giving  all 
evidence  of  his  faith  in  Christ.  A  little  brother, 
a  year  younger,  speedily  followed,  with  like  faith. 
This  produced  a  great  effect  among  the  children 
— Jewish  children — who  began  to  carry  the  light 
to  their  homes." 

The  care  and  solicitude,  says  his  brother,  with 
which  w^e  vratched  the  progress  and  development 
of  the  children,  who,  in  such  a  wonderful  way, 
were  committed  to  his  trainins;  ;  the  attention 
and  dilio^ence  which  he  bestowed  on  their  educa- 
tion ;  the  joy  which  he  felt  on  seeing  a  new  Divine 
life  springing  up  in  the  hearts  of  many  of  them, 
and  the  anxiety  with  which  he  endeavoured  to 
cherish  and  foster  the  tender  plant,  made  him 
foro;et  in  some  measure  the  pain  he  then  suffered, 
and  helped  him  to  bear  the  heavy  affliction  with 
which  God  had  visited  him.  The  only  bright 
gleam  of  light,  in  those  dark  days  of  suffering,  was 


80  PHILIPFS  INCREASED  SUFFERINGS. 


to  see  the  love  of  Christ  attracting  and  saving  the 
children,  in  whom  he  felt  such  a  heart  interest. 

But  his  sufferings  were  soon  to  increase,  and 
the  ensuing  winter  brought  him  days  of  severer 
pain,  of  deeper  agony,  both  in  body  and  soul,  than 
he  ever  had  before.  In  the  end  of  January  1848, 
these  increased  sufferings  began,  and  the  physiciau, 
in  probing  the  wound  again,  gave  the  fatal  news 
that  the  bone  was  affected,  and  that  the  complaint 
was  incurable.  The  return  of  the  spring  had  a 
favourable  influence,  and  although  the  local  pain 
had  not  decreased,  yet  with  great  exertion  he 
recommenced  his  school,  and  to  his  intense  delio^ht 
had  about  120  children.  In  the  view  that  the 
latter  part  of  his  life  was  to  be  spent  in  quiet 
and  blessed  labour  among  the  children,  he  felt 
comfort,  gladness,  and  cheerfulness. 

But  suddenly,  in  that  year  of  turmoil  and  social 
earthquakes,  there  broke  out  the  calamitous 
Hungarian  war.  In  May  of  the  next  year,  1849, 
Pesth  w^as  bombarded.  Many  had  to  flee.  One 
of  the  children  in  his  bed  was  killed  by  a  bomb. 
Philipp  became  weaker  and  weaker,  but  his  faith 
filled  him  Avith  joy.  He  wrote  to  his  brother : — 
"Dear  good  Brother, — Only  a  few  words.  God 
has  laid  me  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  from  which  I 
will  not  rise  again.  So  rejoice  to  know  that  I  will 
be  redeemed,  freed  from  pain,  saved — saved  from 
care  !  I  will  be  with  Christ.  What  joy  and  delight ! 
I  am  ready  to  depart ;  I  rejoice  in  God.  Pray  for 
me.    My  whole  body  is  ruined.    In  heaven  there  will 


PIHLIPP'S   JOYFUL    DEATH.  81 

be  no  pain.  I  praise  the  Lamb  slain  for  us.  So, 
farewell."  And  to  his  brother-in-law  Mr.  Schwartz, 
he  wrote  jubilantly: — "I  am  happy.  God  has 
done  great  things  for  me.  My  body  is  decaying, 
but  my  inner  man  lives  and  grows.  I  am  weak 
and  miserable,  scorched  with  the  heat  of  affliction, 
but  within  I  am  strong  in  my  God,  and  rich  in 
Him  who  became  poor  for  me.  Heat  takes  awav 
the  dross,  and  prepares  a  transcendent  joy.  1  wait 
patiently,  and  keep  quiet  under  His  hand.  I  do 
not  dread  to  die  ;  the  death  Conqueror  has  taken 
away  the  sting  of  death.  I  long  to  be  freed  from 
the  body  of  sin ;  I  long  after  the  house  not  made 
with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  These  letters 
were  written  in  July.  His  sufferings  increased  till 
it  pleased  God  to  call  him  to  Himself  on  September 
27,  1849. 

His  father  wrote  Adolph  after  his  death  an 
account  of  his  last  illness,  when  he  was  racked 
with  pain  but  was  calm  and  quiet  and  patient. 
During  his  illness  he  spoke  with  the  Jews  who 
visited  him,  about  the  Kingdom  of  God.  On  the 
night  previous  to  his  death  he  was  quite  sleepless, 
and  as  he  noticed  his  sister  Elizabeth  crying  he 
called,  embraced,  and  kissed  her.  "  Why  do  you 
weep  ?"  he  said.  "  Look  at  me.  I  am  a  great  deal 
better  now.  The  Lord  Jesus,  our  Saviour,  is 
gracious,  and  of  great  mercy.  Be  of  good  cheer ; 
trust  in  Him.  Should  we  at  any  time  have  offended 
each  other,  we  shall  be  reconciled  now  and  for  ever." 
He  died,  while  his  father  knelt  bv  his  side  witli 


82  PHILIPFS   FUNERAL. 

two  friends  and  engaged  in  prayer.  The  old  man 
adds,  "  Our  Pbilipp,  my  dearly  beloved  son  and 
your  faithful  brother,  is  in  heaven.  We  shall  see 
him  again." 

A  great  number  of  people,  many  of  them  Jews, 
attended  the  funeral.  Fifty  of  the  school-children 
were  present,  and  their  tears  were  an  eloquent 
expression  of  their  love  and  sincere  sorrow. 

He  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-six,  and  after  his 
death  his  loved  school  continued  to  increase  and  to 
prosper. 

This  life  of  Philipp  Saphir  reads  like  a  tale  of 
the  apostolic  age.  There  was  not  only  the  patience 
in  suffering,  but  the  most  ardent  .zeal  and  loving 
spirit  wdiich  led  him  in  his  weakness  and  prostration 
to  labour  with  such  tenderness  for  children  and 
for  young  men,  and  to  accomplish  more  in  a  few 
years  on  his  bed  of  suffering  than  most  Christians 
accomplish  in  a  life-time.  AVe  know  of  no  nobler 
example  of  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  than 
in  the  struggling  years  of  pain  of  this  true  son 
of  Abraham,  melted  and  quickened  by  the  love  of 
Christ. 

Before  we  leave  the  story  of  the  Saphir  family, 
we  must  also  notice  a  sister  Elizabeth,  who  was 
a  most  devoted  Christian,  of  whom  another  sister 
writes : — 

Elizabeth,  was  not  only  remarkable  for  her 
manifold  gifts,  but  also  for  her  refined  mind  and 
her  humble,  loving  disposition.     She  was  naturally 


ELIZABETH  SAPHIR   DESCRIBED.  83 


devout,  and  very  religious  in  the  observance  of 
Jewish  rites  and  ceremonies,  and  a  visit  to  one  of 
her  uncles,  an  orthodox  Jew,  during  which  she 
scrupulously  endeavoured  to  observe  every  tittle 
of  the  rabbinical  law,  served  to  bring  out  still 
more  strongly  this  feature  of  her  character.  This 
uncle  was  very  devoted  to  her,  and  having  no 
daughter  wished  to  adopt  her,  but  to  this  her 
father  would  not  consent,  although  he  allowed 
her  to  prolong  her  visit.  During  her  absence  the 
event  occurred  which  brought  about  such  great 
changes  in  the  Saphir  family. 

Elizabeth  received  an  urgent  summons  from 
her  anxious  father  to  come  home,  as  he  wished 
to  remove  her  without  delay  from  her  uncle's 
influence.  Though  sorry  to  leave  her  uncle,  she 
w^as  very  glad  to  rejoin  her  family,  and  the 
first  few  days  of  her  return  slipped  away  very 
happily.  Coming  as  she  did  from  an  emphatically 
Jewish  house,  she  could  not  fail  to  notice  the 
great  changes  that  had  taken  place  in  her  home, 
and  desired  to  know  the  cause,  whereupon  her 
father  told  her  that  they  had  found  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  and  that  He  was  none  other  than  the 
promised  Messiah — the  Christ  of  God — the  Lamb 
that  takes  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  She  was 
grieved,  in  fact  stunned,  on  hearing  this.  The 
thought  of  "  apostasy "  on  the  part  of  those  she 
loved  was  terrible  to  her,  and  she  emphatically 
declared  her  intention  to  have  nothing  to  do 
with  it. 


84  CONVERSION   OF  ELIZABETH. 


Her  father,  being  a  very  judicious  man,  thought 
it  best  not  to  press  her,  but  only  asked  her  to  read 
the  New  Testament  carefully,  trusting  in  God's 
power  to  open  her  eyes  and  touch  her  heart.  He 
also  requested  the  other  members  of  the  family 
not  to  interfere  with  her.  Thus  she  was  left  for  a 
time  cjuite  to  herself.  How  great  was  her  father's 
joy  and  delight  when  she  intimated  to  him  that 
she  had  found  the  New  Testament  Scriptures  to 
be  the  very  Word  of  God,  and  looked  to  Christ  as 
her  Saviour  !  Though  she  was  not  yet  fourteen  years 
old,  no  one  who  knew  her  could  have  the  slightest 
doubt  as  to  the  sincerity  of  her  desire  to  yield 
herself  up  to  the  Saviour,  and  to  w^alk  in  His  light. 
Her  shy,  retiring  disposition  led  her  to  take  great 
delight  in  solitary  meditation  and  Bible  study. 
Many  long  hours  were  thus  spent  alone  with  God. 
Soon  there  arose  in  her  a  steadfast  desire  openly 
to  confess  Him  whom  her  soul  loved.  She  had 
a  full  conception  of  the  supreme  importance  of 
such  a  step,  and  of  the  responsibility  of  those  who 
bear  the  Eedeemer's  name. 

The  writer  of  these  lines  remembers  the  saintly 
expression  of  her  countenance,  and  her  concen- 
trated attention  during  the  baptismal  service.  It 
was  a  day  never  to  be  forgotten  !  All  present  could 
only  say,  "  This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is 
marvellous  in  our  eyes."  Soon  after,  she  and  her 
younger  sister  w^ere  sent  to  a  large  boarding-school 
at  Kornthal,  in  the  south  of  Germany.  This  place 
was  renowned  for  its  high  Christian  trainiug,  as  also 


ELIZA  BETH 'S  DIFFICULTIES   SUBMO  UNTED.     85 


for  its  o'ood  teaching;  in  all  modern  branches  of 
knowledge.  Elizabeth  applied  herself  zealously 
to  her  studies,  and  did  her  best  to  satisfy  all  her 
teachers ;  and  in  this  she  fully  succeeded.  Her 
gentle,  loving  manner  attracted  all  with  whom  she 
came  in  contact,  and  soon  she  became  a  great 
favourite  with  both  teachers  and  scholars.  She  was 
admired,  not  merely  for  her  many  good  qualities, 
but  chiefly  for  her  loving,  sympathizing  character, 
which  deepened  and  developed  day  by  day.  Her 
ardent  desire  was  to  exercise  a  good  influence  over 
those  who  were  her  fellow-students,  and  the  first 
thino-  she  endeavoured  to  brino;  about  was  a  weeklv 
prayer-meeting.  She  met  with  many  difficulties 
which  threatened  to  frustrate  her  wishes.  How- 
ever, her  perseverance  gained  the  victory  ;  some 
of  her  young  friends  came  forward,  wishing  to 
take  part  in  the  meeting. 

For  this  purpose  they  could  not  find  any  place 
but  a  very  small  garret  at  the  top  of  the  house. 
There  they  met,  and  Elizabeth  conducted  these 
meetings.  She  was  the  means  of  bringing  young 
souls  to  Christ.  This  small  prayer-meeting  did  not 
always  pass  off  very  smoothly.  Those  who  joined 
it  were  often  scorned,  laughed  at,  and  called 
"  Pietisten,"  but  the  "  mad"  Elizabeth  was  only  the 
more  zealous  and  persevering.  The  pastor  of  the 
place,  a  most  devoted  Christian,  had  much  inter- 
course with  her,  and  was  her  teacher  in  Hebrew. 

A  missionary,  who  was  at  the  time  staying  there, 
took  a  orreat  likino;  to  her,  and  asked  her  to  make 


S6         ELIZABETH'S    WORK  AS  A    TEACHER. 


his  house  her  home.  He  also  taught  her  English. 
After  a  stay  of  two  years,  the  sisters  had  to  leave 
for  Pesth,  and  a  general  regret  was  expressed  at 
Elizabeth's  departure  ;  but  a  lively  correspondence 
which  she  kept  up  with  her  teachers  and  young- 
friends  served,  to  unite  them  still  more.  She 
evinced  great  concern  and  anxiety  not  to  lose  their 
love,  and  pointed  them  especially  again  and  again 
to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Thus  she  was  not 
forgotten.  The  sisters  were  joined  on  their  way 
home  by  their  brother  Philipp,  who  was  staying 
at  the  same  time  at  Carlsruhe  in  a  seminary. 

After  a  time  of  rest  Elizabeth  resumed  all  her 
studies,  and  tried  her  best  to  make  herself  useful, 
in  and  out  of  the  house.  She  had  much  blessed 
intercourse  with  her  beloved  teacher,  Mrs.  Smith, 
to  whom  she  was  most  devoted,  and  to  whom  she 
looked  up  with  no  common  regard. 

When  Philipp  started  the  idea  of  opening  a 
school  for  Jewish  children,  she  took  it  up  at  once, 
and  looked  forward  impatiently  to  its  commence- 
ment. When  at  last  the  great  work  was  achieved, 
and  children  came  crowding  in,  her  happiness  knew 
no  bounds,  and  she  threw  herself  at  once  with  all 
her  strength  and  energy  into  the  work  assigned 
to  her.  She  and  Philipp  were  the"  pillars  of  this 
remarkable  school,  which  became  such  a  success 
and  blessing,  and  which  excited  no  small  stir  in  the 
place.  Elizabeth  had  a  large  class  of  girls,  which 
she  managed  in  a  masterly  way,  to  the  astonishment 
of   all    her    friends.      Both    the    pupils    and    their 


THE  SCHOOL    A    GREAT  SUCCESS.  87 

parents  were  soon  devoted  to  her,  and  greatly 
admired  both  her  teaching  and  her  dealings  with 
the  children.  She  visited  the  parents  weekly, 
among  whom  she  had  free  scope  to  speak  of  her 
personal  experiences.  Many  were  deeply  impressed 
by  her  testimony,  and  could  not  fail  to  notice  her 
anxiety  as  to  their  souls'  salvation. 

At  the  annual  examination  her  results  with 
her  pupils  were  simply  amazing.  Superintendent 
Torok,  who  presided  on  these  occasions,  could  not 
express  often  enough  his  thorough  satisfaction  and 
admiration  at  her  handling  of  the  subjects,  which 
she  taught  with  so  much  clearness  and  understand- 
ing. She  was  however  little  accessible  to  praise, 
and  w^as  often  unaware  of  the  influence  she  exer- 
cised on  those  around  her.  Her  mind  and  thoughts 
w^ere  concentrated  on  one  point — to  her  the  most 
important  in  her  life — namely,  to  love  and  serve 
her  Master,  and  to  help  to  minister  to  her  fellow- 
creatures  as  much  as  she  could.  She  was  known 
among  Jews  and  Gentiles.  All  loved  and  honoured 
her.  Philipp's  death  was  a  great  sorrow  to  her. 
She  missed  him  intensely ;  at  the  same  time,  she 
tried  to  do  her  very  best  to  endear  his  memory  to 
the  pupils  he  had  left,  to  whom  he  was  deeply 
attached. 

After  his  death,  Elizabeth  was  more  than  ever 
devoted  to  her  work,  and  the  school  was  in  a 
most  flourishing  condition.  Subsequently  she  be- 
came engaged  to  a  man  who  professed  to  be  a 
Christian,  and  expressed  a  great  interest  in    the 


88  DEATH  OF  ELIZABETH. 


mission  scliool.  Unfortunately  tliis  marri age  turned 
out  to  be  a  very  unhappy  one.  Poor  Elizabeth 
suffered  intensely  from  her  husband's  ill-treatment. 
Her  parents,  though  not  aware  of  this,  could  not 
fail  to  notice  her  sad  look  and  deep  depression. 
On  being  asked  for  the  reason  of  this  change,  she 
was  most  reluctant  to  give  a  satisfactory  answer, 
only  mentioning  that  her  husband  did  not  quite 
understand  her,  but  she  hoped  he  might  improve. 

In  the  meantime  things  seemed  to  get  w^orse, 
and  her  father,  who  was  deeply  devoted  to  her, 
took  her  home,  in  order  to  protect  her  from  further 
bad  treatment.  Her  health  had  by  this  time 
suffered  severely,  and  soon  she  became  very  ill — 
past  recovery.  All  was  done  to  make  her  last  days 
happy  and  bright.  Day  and  night  her  father 
nursed  her  ; — but,  alas  !  she  passed  away  in  her 
twenty-seventh  year,  in  1854,  chiefly  from  a  broken 
heart. 

Elizabeth's  Bible  knowledge  was  remarkable. 
Her  jDrayers  were  singularly  beautiful  and  expres- 
sive. Her  death  caused  oreat  sensation  amouQ-  Jews 
and  Gentiles.  It  was  most  touching  to  notice  her 
pupils'  sorrow  and  disconsolateness.  All  came  to 
take  the  last  farewell  of  her.  One  of  her  friends. 
Countess  Brunswick,  begged  to  be  allowed  to  see 
her.  She  was  struck  with  Elizabeth's  happy  ex- 
pression ;  she  put  a  New  Testament  in  her  hands, 
and  remained  for  a  time  in  silent  prayer  with  her. 

When  the  writer  of  these  lines  was  the  last  time 
at  Buda-pest,  in  1884,  she  met  some  of  Elizabeth's  old 


ADOLPH'S  TESTIMONY  TO   HIS  SISTER.      61) 

friends,  who  informed  her  that  Elizabeth  had  never 
been  forgotten,  but  was  still  living  in  their  memory, 
— loved  and  honoured.  A  lady,  rather  indif- 
ferent towards  Christianity,  but  a  great  admirer  of 
Elizabeth,  said  she  considered  Elizabeth  was  a  Saint, 
and  every  year,  on  "All  Saints'  Day,"  she  laid  a 
wreath  on  her  grave.  Her  life  was  hidden  in 
Christ.     Her  end  was  peace  ! 

Adolph  thus  refers  to  the  death  of  this  sister  : — 
My  good  sister  Elizabeth  died  about  a  fortnight 
ago.  We  know  she  died  in  faith,  love,  and  hope. 
The  grief  and  bereavement  is  on  our  side  only. 
She  was  very  noble,  and  knew  how  to  deny  herself 
for  the  sake  of  God's  Kingdom.  She  felt  as  much 
as  a  man  that  her  life  ought  to  be  of  use  to  the 
Church.  Next  to  Philipp  I  always  admired  her 
most.  We  are  all  going  home — sooner  or  later; 
but  may  God  grant  us  a  long  life,  if  it  please 
Him  ! 


^0 


CHAPTER   IX. 

COLLEGE   CAEEER  IN   SCOTLAND. 

Adolph's  Stay  in  Glasgow — Session  1848-49  —  Tutor  with 
Mr.  AVilliam  Brown,  in  Aberdeen — Acquaintance  with 
AVilHam  Fleming  Stevenson — Mutual  Benefit — Great  In- 
fluence of  this  Fi-iend>hip  on  his  Life — Visits  the  Steven- 
sons  in  Strabane — A  Second  Home — His  Description  of 
Stevenson. 

WE  left  Aclolph  Saphir  in  Berlii],  where  lie 
remained  during  a  good  part  of  the  time 
recorded  in  his  brother's  history.  He  was  there 
resident  with  his  brother-in-law  and  sister,  the 
Eev.  C.  Schwartz  and  his  wife.  At  this  time  his 
spirit  was  a  good  deal  agitated  by  the  Hegelian  and 
other  influences  encountered  among  the  teachers 
and  pupils  of  the  Gymnasium.  He  had  a  mind 
well  fitted  to  ap[)reciate  the  attractiveness  of  the 
Hegelian  and  general  Pantheistic  philosophy.  I'he 
great  German  poet,  Goethe,  had  with  all  the  power 
of  his  genius  interwoven  that  philosophy  into  his 
poetry,  and  presented  it  thus  in  the  most  attractive 
garb.  Many  other  German  writers  were  also  Panthe- 
istic. This  Pantheism  has  now  degenerated  largely 
into  Materialism,  which  was  then  beirinnino;  to  take 


ADOLPH   COMES   TO   SCOTLAND.  91 


its  place  and  has  since  been  fully  developed.  Strauss 
had  written  his  Leben  Jesu,  and  the  treatment  of 
the  New  Testament  as  an  ordinary  book,  and  of  the 
life  of  Jesus  as  that  of  a  great  but  eccentric  genius, 
was  very  prevalent.  Saphir  had  much  literary 
power,  as  is  manifest  in  all  his  writings.  He  could 
appreciate  the  beautiful  in  literature  of  every  kind  ; 
and  with  the  great  German  classics,  with  Goethe  at 
their  head,  he  was  perfectly  familiar.  The  atmo- 
sphere of  Berlin  was  intellectually  high,  but  de- 
cidedly un-Christian.  Had  he  encountered  it,  with- 
out that  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  in  his  youthful  days, 
he  would  have  been  attracted  and  carried  away,  and 
have  probably  made  for  himself,  as  his  uncle  had 
done,  a  distinguished  position  in  German  literature, 
but  would  have  been  lost  to  the  Christian  Church. 
But  he  had  been  truly  converted,  and  therefore, 
though  influenced  and  attracted,  he  fought  by 
God's  grace  against  and  overcame  the  influence,  and 
was  thus  prepared,  understanding  the  intellectual 
position  and  attractions  of  rationalism,  to  become 
a  powerful  witness  for  the  truth  in  after  days. 

In  1848  he  left  Berlin,  and  was  at  once  trans- 
ferred to  the  evangelical  atmosphere  of  Scotland. 
Mr.  Kobert  Wodrow,  of  Glasgow,  had,  as  we  have 
mentioned,  advocated  for  many  years  a  mission 
to  the  Jews,  and  prayed  to  God  that  it  might  be 
begun. 

After  her  husband's  death,  Mrs.  Wodrow  con* 
tinned  to  take  the  deepest  interest  in  Jewish  work. 
Hungary  was  in  the  midst  of  war,  so  that  there 


92      ADOLPH  AT    GLASGOW  AND   ABERDEEN. 

was  every  reason  for  Adolpli  Saphir  not  returning, 
thither.  Besides,  he  had  been  given  to  the  Scottish 
mission  and  designed  for  its  work.  The  histories 
of  the  father  and  of  Adolph  himself  in  his  boyhood 
were  then  familiar  to  numbers  of  Scottish  readers, 
through  the  pages  of  The  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Record  of  the  Free  Church.  The 
Pesth  mission  had  made  a  very  deep  impression 
in  Scotland,  and  Mrs.  Wodrow  welcomed  him  to 
her  home  as  an  inmate,  when  Adolph  began  to 
carry  on  his  studies  for  the  ministry  in  Glasgow 
University. 

On  his  arrival  in  Glasgow  in  the  autumn  of 
1848,  he  was  received  with  great  kindness  and 
regarded  with  much  interest  by  many,  but  the 
sudden  change  to  such  different  surroundings  was 
very  trying  to  one,  of  such  a  retiring  and  highly 
sensitive  nature. 

In  the  following  year  he  went  to  Aberdeen, 
where  he  became  tutor  in  the  family  of  Mr. 
William  Brown,  brother  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Charles 
Brown  of  Edinl)urgli  and  of  Principal  Brown  of 
Aberdeen.  His  old  friend,  the  Eev.  Theodore 
Meyer,  and  another  well-known  Jewish  minister. 
Professor  Sachs,  were  at  the  time  in  Aberdeen, 
and  received  him  vrarmly,  and  in  Mr.  Brown's 
family  he  was  very  happy. 

He  gives  himself  the  following  account  of  his 
college  career  : — "  After  having  passed  an  examin- 
ation, I  Was  received  into  the  second  class  of  under- 
graduates at  the  University  of  Glasgow.     At  this 


COLLEGE   CAREER   IN  SCOTLAND.  03 


University,  and  also  at  Marischal  College,  Aberdeen, 
which  I  attended  afterwards,  I  took  all  the  pre- 
scribed subjects  in  preparation  for  the  study  of 
theology,  viz.  Latin  and  Greek  Literature,  Logic, 
Moral  Philosophy,  Mathematics,  and  in  addition 
Chemistry.  After  having  obtained  good  certificates 
and  taken  the  first  prize  for  Greek  in  Aberdeen, 
I  became  a  student  of  theology  in  the  Free  Church 
College,  Edinburgh.  About  the  same  time  I  took 
the  degree  of  B.A.  at  Glasgow,  having  completed 
my  triennium." 

In  Glasgow  he  first  became  acquainted  with  one 
whose  fame  is  in  all  the  Churches,  and  who  was 
for  long  years  his  most  devoted  friend — the  Eev. 
^Yilliam  Fleming  Stevenson,  the  author  of  Praying 
and  Working.  This  friendship  was  of  the  greatest 
value  to  him.  Mr.  Stevenson  was,  even  as  a 
student,  a  man  of  remarkable  culture,  of  great 
literary  attainments,  of  an  ardent  Christian  spirit, 
and  with  large  knowledge  of  missions.  He  had 
followed  the  history  of  the  Pesth  mission,  and  knew 
well  both  about  the  Saphirs  and  about  Adolph 
himself.  He  sought  him  out  in  Glasgow,  and  they 
were  at  once  attracted  to  each  other,  and  became 
devoted  friends.  Such  a  friendship  as  this,  of 
greatest  importance  to  both,  was  invaluable  to 
Adolph,  at  this  time  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land. 
He  felt  it  to  be  a  special  guidance  of  God  that  had 
brought  them  together.  They  had  literary  and 
philosophical  as  well  as  spiritual  affinities,  and 
during;  their  theological  studies  in  Edinburgh  they 


94  FLEMING   STEVENSON'S  HOME. 


lodged  together.  Stevenson  made  Sapbir  familiar 
with  English  literature,  of  which  he  had  wide 
knowledge,  wliile  Saphir  brought  him  into  contact 
wdtli  the  literature  and  philosophy  of  Germany. 
Above  all,  they  walked  to  the  house  of  God  in 
company,  and  strengthened  each  other  in  faith  and 
devotion  to  Christ. 

But  Fleming  Stevenson  was  not  only  a  friend, 
he  treated  Saphir  as  a  brother,  giving  him  a  home 
where  he  would  otherwise  have  been  alone  in  the 
world.  Saphir  went  over  to  Strabane  on  a  long 
visit  to  the  Stevenson  family  in  the  spring  of 
1850,  after  the  close  of  the  College  term,  and  spent 
there  the  summer ;  and  again  he  was  with  them 
during  the  summer  of  1851. 

This  home  of  the  Steven  sons,  which  was  a  true 
home  to  Saphir,  who  was  regarded  by  them  as  a 
brother,  is  thus  described  in  the  Life  and  Letters 
of  Dr.  Stevenson.^  "  The  father  was  an  excep- 
tionally intelligent,  careful,  and  well-educated  man, 
a  lover  of  books,  of  music,  and  of  scenery.  He 
made  his  children  his  companions,  reading  aloud 
to  them  in  the  evenings,  and  taking  them  for 
afternoon  strolls  through  the  glens  and  lanes  of 
the  neighbourhood.  He  was  a  man  of  earnest, 
large-hearted  piety.  The  mother  was  a  devout 
Christian,  of  a  quiet,  sweet,  unselfish  spirit.  She 
prayed  much  for  her  children  and  with  them. 
There  were  five  sons  and  daughters,  William  being 

^  Life  and  Letters  of  the  Rev.  William  Fleming  Stevenson, 
D.D.,  by  his  wife.     Nelson  and  Sons, 


ACQUAINTANCE    WITH  STEVENSON.  O.") 


the   youngest."      There    could    not   have    been    a 
happier  or  more  cheerful  household,  cultured  and 
well-educated,    with    all    that    liveliness    and    wit 
that  give  a  special  charm  to  Irish  circles.     Saphir, 
who    would    otherwise    have    been    very    desulate, 
found     here     a    home.      He    thus    describes    his 
acquaintanceship  with  Stevenson  and  its  effect : — 
My   acquaintance    with    Stevenson    commenced 
in    the   winter   of   1848-9    (his   first  winter   as   a 
student  in  Glasgow),  when  we  attended  the  same 
classes  in  Glasgow  University,  and  living  in  the 
same  neighbourhood,  had  almost  every  day  long 
conversations  on  our  way  to  the  College.  .  .  .  When 
we  parted  in  the  month  of  May  we  had  become 
friends,  though  neither  of  us,   I  think,  was   aware 
of  the  depth  and  strength  of  the  bond  that  united 
us.      Stevenson   wrote    very    characteristic   letters, 
describing  Dublin  and  its  attractions,  his  quiet  life 
in  the  country,  and  his  varied  readings.     He  was 
very  happy  and  sanguine,  and  tried  to   cheer  me, 
who   felt  very  lonely   in    a   strange    country,  and 
depressed  by  ill-health  and  other  trials.    I  remember 
distinctly  the  time  when  we,  as  it  were,  looked  into 
each  other's  soul  and  felt  that  we  were  one.     This 
was  in  reply  to  a  letter  in  which  I  had  told  him  of 
the  peace  and  sunshine-which  had  come  to  me  from 
the  eighth  chapter  of  Romans,  where  I  saw  clearly 
the   consolation  and  firm  foundation  of   election ; 
that  they  who  believe  in  Jesus  know  that  God  is 
for  them,   and   that   all   things   work  together  for 
their  good.    The  experimental  view  of  this  doctrine 


06  STEVENSON'S   CHARACTERISTICS. 

struck  liim  very  much,  and  Ins  reply  was  full   of 
sympathy. 

From  that  time  began  our  real  friendship. 
When  in  1850  he  repeated  to  me  his  invitation 
to  spend  the  summer  holidays  with  him,  I  gladly 
accepted  it.  I  was  received  by  his  parents  with 
the  greatest  kindness,  and  soon  felt  at  home  in  that 
truly  Christian  and  peaceful  household.  Stevenson 
and  I  were  inseparable,  reading  and  talking.  He 
was  preparing  for  entering  the  Divinity  Hall,  but 
general  literature  had  great  attractions  for  him.  I 
was  then  full  of  German  literature — Schiller,  Goethe, 
Tieck,  &c.  ;  he  was  steeped  in  the  English  classics ; 
and  so  we  exchanged  thoughts  and  information.  I 
noticed  during  that  summer  many  characteristics 
which  distinguished  him  all  his  life.  His  favourite 
poet  was  Wordsworth.  His  taste  in  poetry  was 
very  catholic.  He  already  possessed  the  calmness, 
patience,  and  humility  which  recognized  the  merits 
and  beauties  of  authors  who  were  not  congenial  to 
him.  But  Wordsworth  was  the  poet  whom  he 
loved,  who  both  expressed  and  developed  his  own 
individuality.  Stevenson  had  an  intense  and  lively 
love  of  nature,  and  a  warm  appreciation  of  true 
human  nobility  in  every  form  and  shape,  even  the 
simplest  and  most  unpretending. 

After  describing  further  the  character  of  his 
friend,  he  proceeds — 

I  looked  upon  him,  as  I  have  done  throughout 
my  life  since,  as  a  gift  of  God's   love  to  me,  who 


SAPHIB,   SMIDT,   AND   STEVENSON.  97 

had  been  separated  from  brother  and  sister  and 
rehitive  of  every  kind  since  my  seventeenth  year. 
It  was  settled  that  we,  joined  by  Charles  de  Smidt,^ 
should  live  together  during  our  divinity  course  at 
Edinburo'h.  Our  circle  was  varied  and  somewhat 
cosmopolitan,  owing  to  de  Smidt's  Dutch  and  Cape 
fellow-students,  and  to  my  Jewish  and  German 
friends.  .  .  .  Our  most  intimate  friend  w^as  the 
Eev.  Theodore  Meyer,  who  was  Assistant-Professor 
of  Hebrew  in  the  New  College.  He  came  over  in 
the  year  1848  to  Scotland,  after  having  witnessed 
the  exciting  scenes  of  the  Eevolution  in  Berlin. 
Mr.  Meyer  came  to  Christianity  out  of  Judaism  and 
Eationalism.  Havino^  been  brouo;ht  into  contact 
with  the  various  forms  of  theology  at  Berlin,  he 
had  a  very  sympathetic  and  genial  manner  with 
young  men  who  were  passing  through  similar  phases 
and  conflicts ;  so  that,  while  we  looked  up  to  him 
on  account  of  his  experience  and  learning,  we  felt 
quite  at  home  in  his  company,  and  he  frequently 
joined  our  Saturday  expeditions. 

The  three,  Saphir,  Smidt,  and  Stevenson,  who 
lodo^ed  tog;ether,  dubbed  themselves,  in  allusion  to 
their  birthplace  or  lineage,  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japheth. 
They  attended  chiefly  the  ministry  of  the  Eev. 
Dr.  Charles  Brown,  who  w^as  valued  by  many  of 
the  most  thoughtful  in  Edinburgh  for  his  eminently 

1  Charles  de  Smidt  was  of  Dutch  descent,  and  born  at  the 
Cape.  He  was  ordained,  and  died  young,  after  a  few  years' 
active  ministerial  labour  in  Cape  Colony. 


98       STEVENSON'S   CHARACTER   DESCRIBED. 


spiritual,  Scriptural,  and  experimental  preaching. 
He  was  a  man  of  a  singularly  refined,  sensitive 
mind,  of  deep  spiritual  feeling,  and  of  great 
knowledge  of  Scripture.  Saphir  much  valued  his 
ministry,  and  derived  great  benefit  from  it.  The 
view  which  Saphir  gives,  in  the  following  extract 
of  his  friend  Stevenson's  position  at  this  time, 
partly  reflected  his  own  : — 

"  While  he  was  inwardly  rooted  in  the  truth, 
and  living  a  life  of  communion  with  God  in  prayer 
and  study  of  the  Scriptures,  his  theological  views 
were  as  yet  undeveloped,  and  he  felt,  as  most 
thouo;htful  students  do,  the  disturbino^  effects  of 
modern  speculation  and  of  neology.  His  mind  was 
candid  and  active  ;  his  temperament  was  calm.  He 
was  determined  to  examine  carefully  and  slowly, 
and  to  collect  material  diligently.  The  \^  ritings  of 
Archdeacon  Hare,  of  Trench,  Maurice,  and  Kingsley, 
exerted  a  great  influence  on  him.  He  was  keenly 
alive  to  the  culture,  breadth,  and  manliness  which 
characterized  them,  and  fascinated  by  the  power 
and  vividness  of  their  modes  of  thought  and  ex- 
pression. On  the  other  side,  there  was  much  of 
the  old-fashioned  representations  of  so-called  ortho- 
doxy, which  repelled  him,  or  at  least  offered 
difliculties  to  be  overcome.  He  was  very  sensitive 
to  any  want  of  justice  or  candour  in  the  treatment 
of  divergent  views,  and  still  more  to  any  want  of 
reality  or  delicacy  in  the  expression  of  spiritual 
experiences.  But  the  real  conflict  was  occasioned 
by  the  mind  now  coming  into  close  contact  with 


HIS  INDEBTEDNESS   TO   SAPHIR.  99 

the  solemn  and  mysterious  doctrines  of  revelation, 
with  the  question  of  revelation  itself,  of  the 
authority  and  inspiration  of  Scripture,  of  sin,  of 
atonement.  He  read  more  largely  than  the  average 
student,  and  perhaps  with  more  sympathy  with 
what  I  may  call  vaguely  the  modern  theology ;  and 
those  who  did  not  know  him  intimately  might  have 
fancied  that  he  had  become  one  of  its  disciples, 
while  in  reality  he  had  a  deep  conviction  that  the 
simple  Scripture  truths  which  he  had  embraced  in 
his  childhood  would  in  the  end  shiue  forth  to  his 
mind  more  clearly ;  and  that  while  many  mis- 
conceptions and  unessential  additions  in  the  old 
mode  of  thought  would  be  removed,  applications 
of  greater  breadth  would  be  educed  and  a  more 
healthy  tone  imparted." 

"  Mr.  Stevenson,"  says  Mrs.  Stevenson  in  her 
Memoir,  "always  delighted  to  acknowledge  how 
much  of  the  impulse  of  his  life  he  owed  to  his 
friend  Saphir." 


100 


CHAPTER   X. 

LETTERS  OF   STUDENT   DAYS. 

Letter  to  Kingsley,  and  Reply  of  Kingsley  —  Letters  to 
Donald  Macleod,  now  Editor  of  Good  Words,  and  others — 
Unreal  Orthodox  Phraseology — Right  Method  of  studying 
Scripture  —  Union  with  Christ — The  Reaction  against 
Shams  threatening  to  become  itself  a  mighty  Sham — 
German  Literature — Striking  Dream — Consciousness  of 
Magnetic  Influence — Joyousness  of  Easter  and  Pentecost 
— Ruskin — True  Self-Culture — God  the  Source  of  all 
Personality — Claudius  and  Manly  Christianity — Mission 
Work  begun. 

IN  this  chapter  we  give  a  series  of  letters  written 
to  various  friends,  showing  his  state  of  mind, 
and  his  opinions  on  many  important  questions, 
during  the  period  of  his  life  in  Edinburgh,  as  a 
student  of  theology.  The  first  is  a  letter  to  Charles 
Kingsley,  referred  to  in  Kingsley  s  Memoirs : — 

"47,  Castle  Street,  EdhibuTcjh, 

''October  21,  1852. 
"Rev.  Sir, 

"You  will  be  surprised,  that  without  having  the 
pleasure  of  your  acquaintance,  or  any  kind  of  introduction,  I 
take  the  liberty  of  requesting  you  to  accept  the  accompanying- 
little  biography  of  my  brother ;  but  the  wish  to  send  you  my 
heartfelt  thanks  for  your  writings,  which  in  a  time  of  struggle 
and  inward  conflict  have  so  often  strengthened  and  rejoiced 
my  heart,  is  so  strong,  that  I  venture  this  somewhat  uncon- 
ventional step. 


LETTER   TO    CHARLES  KINGSLEY.  lOl 

'*  I  am  from  a  German  family,  and  was  educated  in  Berlin. 
The  simple,  joyous  faith  of  childhood  gave  way  gradually,  as 
I  became  older  and  was  brought  into  contact  with  philosophy 
and  poesy ;  and  when,  owing  to  various  circumstances,  I  came 
a  few  years  ago  to  Scotland,  a  rigid  Calvinistic  mode  of  appre- 
hending Christianity  vras  little  calculated  to  bring  me  back  to 
Christ,  the  true  Life  Transfigurer  and  Truth  Eevealer.  Yet 
after  struggling  and  seeking,  it  has  pleased  God  to  let  me  see 
Christ,  the  perfect  God  Man,  who  alone  draws  us  unto  God's 
communion,  and  makes  us  true,  real  men  ;  the  dark  riddles 
that  had  perplexed  me  began  to  be  solved ;  in  God  becoming 
man  I  saw,  I  felt  it ;  the  most  glorious  solution  of  my  soul's 
questions,  the  most  glorious  Poetry  had  appeared.  I  was  so 
happy  ;  but  although  I  knew  myself  one  with  many  Christians 
here  in  love  to  Christ,  yet  the  number  of  those  who  view  the 
gospel  as  the  leaven  which  is  to  pervade  all  earthly  things  was 
very  limited  (I  speak  of  my  friends  tlien),  and  at  that  time 
your  sermons  and  other  writings  gave  me  such  joy,  comfort, 
encouragement. 

"  Allow  me  to  thank  you,  and  to  thank  the  dear  Lord,  who 
sent  you  to  open  your  lips  to  proclaim  the  glorious  world- 
conquering  gospel  in  this  our  age,  which,  with  all  its  outcry 
against  shams,  is  so  forgetful  of  the  highest  reality.  May 
your  work  be  richly  blessed  I 

''I  will  not  attempt  to  apologize  for  troubling  you  with 
these  lines,  but  conclude  by  assuring  you  of  my  deep  esteem 
and  gnititude. 

"  Adolph  Saphir." 

The  answer  to  this  letter  is  oiven  in  the  first 
volume  of  Charles  Kincjsley :  his  Letters  and 
Mernoirs  of  his  Life}     It  is  as  follows  : — 

^^  Ever  sic  y^  Xovcinhcr   1,  IS  52. 
"  To  Adolph  Saphir,  Esq. 

''If  I  am  surprised  at  your  writing  to  me,  it  is  th*e 
surprise  of  delight  at  finding  that  my  writings  have  been  of 

1  P.  353  of  the  3rd  edition. 


102  CHARLES   KINGSLEY'S  REPLY. 


use  to  any  man,  and  above  all  to  a  Jew.  For  your  nation  I 
have  a  very  deep  love,  first,  because  so  many  intimate  friends 
of  mine — and  in  one  case  a  near  connection — are  Jews ;  and 
next,  because  I  believe,  as  firmly  as  any  modern  interpreter  of 
prophecy,  that  you  are  still  '  The  Natioc,'  and  that  you  have 
a  glorious,  as  I  think  a  culminating,  part  to  play  in  the  history 
of  the  race.  Moreover,  I  owe  all  I  have  ever  said  or  thought 
about  Christianity  as  the  idea  which  is  to  redeem  and  leaven 
all  human  life,  '  secular '  as  well  as  '  religious,'  to  the  study 
of  the  Old  Testament,  without  which  the  New  is  to  me  unin- 
telligible ;  and  I  cannot  love  the  Hebrew  books  without  loving 
the  men  who  wrote  them.  My  reason  and  heart  revolt  at  that 
magical  theory  of  inspiration  which  we  liave  borrowed  from 
the  Latin  Rabbis  (the  very  men  whom  we  call  fools  on  every 
other  subject),  which  sinks  the  personality  of  the  inspired 
writer,  and  makes  him  a  mere  puppet  and  mouthpiece ;  and 
therefore  I  love  your  David,  and  Jeremiah,  and  Isaiah,  as  men 
of  like  passions  with  myself — men  who  struggled,  and  doubted, 
and  suffered,  that  I  might  learn  from  them ;  and  loving  them, 
how  can  I  but  love  their  children,  and  yearn  over  them  with 
unspeakable  pity  ? 

*'  You  seem  to  be  about  to  become  a  Christian  minister.  In 
that  capacity  your  double  education,  both  as  a  German  and  as 
a  Hebrew,  ought  to  enable  you  to  do  for  us  what  we  really 
need  to  have  done,  almost  as  much  as  those  Jews  among  whom 
your  brother  so  heroically  laboured — I  mean,  to  teach  us  the 
real  meaning  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  its  absolute  unity 
with  the  New.  For  this  we  want  not  mere  '  Hebrew  scholars,' 
but  Hebrew  spirits — Hebrew  men ;  and  this  must  be  done, 
and  done  soon,  if  w^e  are  to  retain  our  Old  Testament,  and 
therefore  our  New.  For  if  we  once  lose  our  faith  in  the  Old 
Testament,  our  faith  in  the  New  will  soon  dwindle  to  the 
impersonal  '  spiritualism '  of  Frank  Newman,  and  the  German 
philosophasters.  Now  the  founder  of  German  unbelief  in  the 
Old  Testament  was  a  Jew.  Benedict  Spinoza  wrote  a  little 
book  which  convulsed  the  spiritual  world,  and  will  go  on 
convulsing  it  for  centuries,  unless  a  Jew  undoes  what  a  Jew 
has  done.  Spinoza  beat  down  the  whole  method  of  rabbinical 
interpretation — the  whole  theory  of  rabbinical   inspiration ; 


CHARLES  KINGSLEY'S   REPLY.  103 

but  he  had  nothing,  as  I  believe,  to  put  in  their  place.  The 
true  method  of  interpretation,  the  true  theory  of  inspiration 
is  yet  sadly  to  se^k ;  at  least  such  a  method  and  such  a  theory 
as  shall  coincide  with  history  and  with  science.  It  is  my  belief 
that  the  Christian  Jew  is  the  man  who  can  give  us  the  key  to 
both — who  can  interpret  the  IS'ew  and  the  Old  Testament  both, 
because  he  alone  can  place  himself  in  the  position  of  the  men 
who  wrote  them,  as  far  as  national  sympathies,  sorrows,  and 
hopes  are  concerned,  not  to  mention  the  amount  of  merely 
antiquarian  light  which  he  can  throw  on  dark  passages  for  us, 
if  he  chooses  to  read  as  a  Jew,  and  not  as  a  Kabbinist. 

"  I  would  therefore  entreat  you,  and  every  other  converted 
Jew,  not  to  siuk  your  nationality  because  you  have  become  a 
member  of  the  Universal  Church,  but  to  believe  with  the  old 
converts  at  Jerusalem  that  you  are  a  true  Jew  because  you 
are  a  Christian ;  that  as  a  Jew  you  have  your  special  office  in 
the  perfecting  of  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  Church,  which 
no  Englishman  or  other  Gentile  can  perform  for  you — neither 
to  Germanize  or  Scotticize,  but  try  to  see  all  heaven  and 
earth  with  the  eyes  of  Abraham,  David,  and  St.  Paul." 

The  next  letters  we  notice  were  written  to  Dr. 
Donald  Maeleod,  present  Editor  of  Good  Words, 
with  whom  in  his  student  years  he  was  very  inti- 
mate, and  to  J\liss  Stevenson,  a  sister  of  Fleming 
Stevenson,  now  Mrs.  Meyer.  These  letters  were 
often  full  of  humour.  He  had  naturally  much 
sarcastic  power,  (which  however  he  kept  in  subjec- 
tion,) arising  from  instinctive  insight  into  character 
and  motives.  In  private  intercourse  he  was  genial, 
quaint,  and  amusing,  and  clear-sighted  as  to  men 
and  things.  There  was  great  sagacity,  but  simpli- 
city and  naturalness.  No  man  had  a  greater 
abhorrence  of  pretences  or  shams,  especially  in 
connection  with  religion,  and  of  that  crafty  dip- 
lomacy by  which  it  is   often   attempted   to   guide 


104  THE  BIBLE  AND   PHILOSOPHY. 


ecclesiastical  and  religious  affairs.  All  mere  showy, 
fussy,  superficial  religiosity  he  detested,  and  like- 
wise all  religious  expressions  which  had  no  lifelike 


meaning. 

He  writes  to  Macleod  from  Aberdeen  in  1849,  in 
a  letter  which  shows  that  his  opinions  about  the 
Bible  and  philosophy  had  then  become  what  they 
remained  ever  after,  to  the  close  of  his  life.  They 
are  expressed  with  remarkable  clearness  and  force, 
considerino^  that  he  was  not  then  eighteen  years  of 
age  :— 

"Since  I  last  wrote  you,  I  have  been  a  month  or  so  in 
Holland,  and  have  lost  my  eldest  sister,  Mrs.  Schwartz,  a 
great  trial  to  us  all.  I  have  been  exceedingly  happy  in  Mr. 
Brown's  family.  He  is  a  pious,  enlightened,  well-educated, 
and  somewhat  continental-like  man,  and  I  have  had  great  com- 
fort and  joy  in  his  house,  I  was  very  happy  to  hear  of  your 
brother's  preferment,  and  I  wish  that  he  may  be  blessed  richly 
amoDg  the  people. 

"  Since  I  last  wrote  to  you  I  have  had  a  good  deal  of  study, 
and  have  gone  through  the  philosophical  systems  from  Thales 
to  Kant.  The  consequence  of  this  and  other  things  besides 
was  to  modify  essentially  my  old  opinions.  I  view  now  the 
Bible  in  a  different  light  from  before.  I  have  come  to  see  in  it 
a  sure  and  unerring  standard  of  truth,  a  revelation  of  God, 
which  must  be  received  and  digested  and  become  ours,  but 
submitted  to  as  purely  objective,  not  at  all  subjected  to  our 
ideas,  views,  or  feelings. 

"  In  fact  these  philosophical  systems  are  elaborate,  subtle,  and 
contain  also  truths  ;  some  are  very  beautiful  and  captivating  ; 
but  their  darkness  is  great,  and  the  full  solution  of  these 
problems  which  occupy  our  immortal  soul  is  found  only  in  the 
Bible.  It  is  now  the  object  and  aim  of  the  Christian  to  make 
God's  thoughts,  ideas,  views,  his  own,  so  that  he  stands  not 
only  under  the  Bible  as  an  all-prevailing  authority,  but  lives 
it  as  it  were ;  comes  to  be  of  the  same  mind  and  taste.     Of 


KNOWING   JESUS    CHRIST.  105 

course  this  can  only  be  through  our  communion  with  the  God- 
man  Jesus  Christ.  There  are  two  extremes,  I  think  ;  the  sub- 
jective Christianity,  while  not  giving  the  Bible  its  proper  place, 
lays  all  stress  upon  the  felt  union  of  the  heart  with  Christ,  and 
makes  the  Christian  life  and  faith  flow  spontaneously  out  of 
the  love  of  Christ  in  the  heart,  or  Christian  consciousness  ;  and 
the  other  extreme,  attaching  due,  if  not  more  than  due,  import- 
ance to  the  objective  truth  of  the  Bible,  leaving  out  of  con- 
sideration the  necessity  of  this  objective  truth  becoming  our 
individual  property,  and  appropriated  by  reason  and  heart. 
Both,  I  think,  are  dangerous.  I  was  for  a  good  time  deep  in 
the  tirst  extreme,  and  I  am  conscious,  for  my  part,  that  not 
only  does  such  a  state  of  mind  give  rise  to  an  unsettledness 
about  doctrines,  but  it  leaves  the  heart  in  constant  doubt, 
because  it  rests  more  upon  what  /  feel  or  love,  and  what  Christ 
is  in  me,  than  upon  the  promises  of  God,  and  what  Christ  has 
done  for  us.  I  don't  know  whether  I  have  made  myself  intel- 
ligible. I  attach  now  more  importance  than  I  used  to  do  to 
the  views  a  person  holds.  I  see  a  great  connection  between  the 
will  and  the  understanding,  the  head  and  the  heart.  To  have 
eternal  life  is  to  know  Jesus  Christ,  of  course  not  merely  with 
the  reason,  but  with  the  whole  mind.  On  the  whole,  this  is  a 
promise  given  to  you  and  to  me,  that  Christ's  Spirit  will  lead  us 
into  all  truth  ;  but  we  shall  know  Christ's  doctrine  if  we  are 
willing  to  do  God's  Will.  I  begin  to  see  the  gospel  truths  as 
thoroughly  and  essentially  different  from  all  systems  of  philo- 
sophy. These  are  all  human  systems,  and  the  truth  must  not 
be  mutilated  to  please  some  fellows,  who  know  perhaps  some 
sixty  old  Greek  books  more  than  others,  or  have  become  crazy 
in  their  admiration  of  art  and  their  own  soap-bubble  specula- 
tions. In  saying  this  I  have  Germany  in  view  ;  but  it  is 
quite  delightful  to  think  of  the  manly,  Christian  apostolic 
exertions  the  German  Evangelical  Church  has  been  making, 
the  last  two  years.  I  hope,  if  it  is  God's  will,  that  I  shall 
work  in  connection  with  the  German  Church,  and  should  it 
turn  out  so,  I  would  not  grudge  having  spent  some  time  in 
Scotland,  for  I  have  learned,  I  trust,  in  your  country  many 
things  which  a  German  needs  more  than  any  other.   .  .  . 

"  I  have  a  most  delightful  friend  here,  a  Mr.  Sachs.    I  never 

H 


106  THE  BIBLE  BEYOND   ALL. 

saw  a  more  upright,  transparent,  healthy  character  than  his, 
and  his  information  and  wit  render  his  society  very  delightful. 
He  was  married  a  few  months  since.  I  have  a  College  friend 
with  whom  I  am  very  intimate.  He  is  from  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  of  Dutch  family,  and  intends  to  go  in  a  year  to  Holland 
an  1  study  for  the  Dutch  Church.  He  is  a  very  fine  fellow  in 
every  respect.  We  go  together  to  Edinburgh,  which  is  settled 
quite." 

In  anotlier  letter  to  the  same  he  writes : — 

''Aberdeen,  May  1,  1850. 

"Cold  wind — Rain  threatening — No  sun — No  music- 
Barbarous  country. 

"  What  you  say  about  Philosophy  appears  to  me  very  true. 
I  think  that  old  Socrates  had  attained  the  very  height  when 
he  said,  he  was  the  wisest  because  he  knew  that  he  knew 
nothing  With  regard  to  Moral  Philosophy,  I  think  it  would 
be  ^00(1  to  base  it  on  New  Testament  or  Bible  principles. 
The  Ethics  of  the  New  Testament  would  be  worth  while 
studying.  For  the  last  three  months  I  have  been  reading 
classics  on  a  grand  scale,  and  getting  on  pretty  well.  I  pur- 
pose to  finish  the  Odyssey  and  Iliad  in  a  fortnight — to  read 
through  Thncydides  and  the  most  of  ^schylus  and  Sophocles. 

*'  With  regard  to  my  views,  I  am  getting  rather  more 
*  unsound,'  in  the  Scotch  acceptation  of  the  term.  I  find  so 
few  people  here  who  jyrpfer  the  Bible  to  everything  else,  be  it 
Confession-book  or  Prayer-book  ;  so  few  who  can  read  a  chapter 
in  the  Bible  without  putting  into  it  all  the  School  theology 
system  and  Calvinism  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  ;  and  so 
few  who  have  toleration  for  anybody  who  has  not  the  same 
views  as  they.  A  lady,  the  other  day,  said  to  me  that  it  was 
a  sign  whether  a  man  was  a  Christian  or  not,  if  he  keeps 
the  Sabbath.  I  repled  that  I  never  read  that  in  the  New 
Testament,  but  1  remember  the  verse  :  *  Hereby  you  shall  be 
known  as  My  discipLs,  if  you  love  one  another.'  I  can  tell 
you,  my  good  frien'l,  that  I  am  not  at  all  so  weak-minded  as 
not  to  see  the  beauty  and  the  advantages  of  a  well-observed 
Sabbath,  but  whenever  it  is  made  the  essence  and  centre  of 
Christianity,  it  is  as  anti-Christian  as  Popery  itself.     What 


TO    WHOM  SHALL    WE   GO?  107 

an  easy  thing  to  sit  four  hours  in  church,  and  spend  the  rest  of 
the  Sunday  in  a  close  room,  and  then  during  the  six  week-days 
to  live  only  to  oneself  !  .  .  .  I  have  not  read  any  Philosophy  for 
a  long  time,  only  David  Hume,  who  puts  me  into  a  fever  and 
makes  me  semi-delirious  whenever  I  take  him  up.  Such  con- 
sistent sophistry  never  was.  Yet  who  can  help  admiring  that 
bold  man!  The  English  are  always  too  strongly  decided  on  one 
side.  When  they  begin  to  philosophize  they  destroy  everything, 
both  human  mind  and  material  world.  Berkeley  and  Hume 
have  attacked  both  world  and  mind.  Show  me  a  German  who 
has  been  so  extravagant.  If  scepticism  begins  in  a  British 
mind,  he  is  cooler,  milder,  more  consistent  in  it  than  any 
German,  and  I  think  we  may  look  for  the  w^orst  infidelity — 
Materialism — on  this  island. 

''  With  best  wishes  for  all  Islanders,  specially  yourself, 
"  Your  affectionate  friend, 

"A.  Saphik." 

Writino;  to  the  same  friend  from  Edinbur2[li, 
where    he   had  gone   to  study    in  the  winter,  he 

says : — 

"  Stevenson,  and  a  Cape  of  Good  Hope  friend,  and  I  live 
together,  right  merrily. 

"  I  study  Calvin  on  the  New  Testament,  Luther,  Jeremy 
Taylor,  and  Church  Fathers.  Besides  English  modern  litera- 
ture, I  read  now  Carlyle's  Life  of  Sterling. 

"Donald,  I  tell  you  Carlyle  without  Christ  is  as  great  a 
sham  as  the  whiners,  and  perhaps  greater.  I  admire  Carlyle, 
but  I  nearly  cried  to-day  to  see  that  so  honest  a  soul  cannot 
understand  the  truest — the  holiest  One — that  ever  lived — 
Jesus  Christ. 

"  i\ly  demi-gods  are  tumbling  down — Schiller,  Goethe,  Phi- 
losophers,— this  Carlyle  too.  To  whom  shall  we  go?  Thou 
alone  hast  the  word  of  eternal  life  ! 

"Onward,  then! — God  is  better  than  all  the  pretty  and 
gorgeous  iaols. 

"  I  have  a  meeting  of  German  boys  and  gii-ls  every  Sunday, 
and  give  them  an  address.     I  enjoy  this  little  work.     I  have 


108  UNION    WITH   CHRIST. 

enough  teaching  to  keep  me  in  bread-and-cheese ;  but  as  I  wish 
to  go  soon  to  Germany  (for  I  don't  know  why  I  should  stay 
here),  I  want  to  make  as  much  money  by  teaching  or  trans- 
latinsr  from  German  as  I  can." 

Writings  in  the  winter  of  1851  to  Miss  Steven- 
son,   when    he    was    a    student    in    Edinburgh,   he 

says  : — 

"  I  begin  to  see  a  deeper  meaning  in  the  current  orthodox 
phraseology ;  but  it  ought  to  be  translated  into  our  language. 
My  views  of  the  Bible  become  daily  more  Pascal-  and  Claudius- 
like ;  that  is,  I  see  it  as  a  mystery,  light  and  life  intelligible 
only  to  the  heart-reason — chords  which  give  music  only  by  a 
similar  experience.  I  think  the  constant  and  thoughtful 
reading  of  the  Bible  the  greatest  and  best  means  of  self- 
culture.  Only  let  us  read  with  calm  historic  minds,  and  like 
children,  and  not  expect  words  to  have  diiferent  meanings  in 
the  Bible  from  anywhere  else.  I  find  it  both  instructive  and 
comforting  to  read  parts  of  the  Bible  corresponding  to  your 
mental  state  at  the  present ;  the  Psalms  especially  can  be 
read  in  that  way.  I  think  we  should  strive  to  view  man 
as  a  unity ;  thought,  language,  acts,  they  are  internally 
connected  with  the  One,  the  being  that  says  /.  Therefore, 
good  words  are  a  sign  of  a  good  man,  if  they  are  his  words, 
not  put  on,  but  Ids  as  much  as  his  hands  are  his ;  and  the 
like  of  good  works.  So  if  the  man  is  good,  in  everything  he 
will  be  good ;  good  and  bad,  for  '  evil  is  always  present  with 
me.'  But  Christ  cleaves  and  cuts  off  what  is  bad  in  leaves 
and  flowers, — let  us  only  be  rooted  in  Him.  This  comparison 
of  an  organic  miion  with  Christ  (John  xv.)  is  my  greatest 
comfort.  Were  we  mechanicallij  tied  to  Christ,  the  link  might 
be  broken  ;  but  an  organic  union  of  branch  and  root,  vine  and 
branches,  is  inward,  and  becomes  necessary,  eternal.  So  we 
are  in  Christ.  And  as  a  tree,  that  becomes  always  more 
firmly  rooted,  will  extend  branches  that  widen  and  bring- 
more  fruit,  we  must  strike  daily  deeper  and  deeper  root  in 
Christ  (be  connected  daily),  and  thus  increase  in  strength, 
beauty,  and  holiness.     I  must  write  you  some  time  or  other 


THE  EVERLASTING    TEAS.  109 


my  thoughts  on  organic  union  with  Christ,  and  organic 
development,  but  I  am  sure  you  will  think  very  much  the 
same  thing,  if  you  consider  John  xv.  and  the  like  passages 
in  that  way." 

Ill  the  same  letter  he  proceeds  to  speak  of 
questions  of  the  day  : — 

"I  do  think  that  the  reaction  agfainst  shams  is  threateninjj 
to  become  a  mighty  sham  itself.  I  am  afraid  of  all  Emerson- 
admiring  Christians ;  either  that  they  deceive  themselves,  or 
are  deceived.  It  is  an  advantage  to  know  that  twice  two  is 
not  five ;  but,  after  all,  except  we  know  that  it  is  four,  we 
cannot  be  good  arithmeticians.  But  let  us  come  from  the 
everlasting  Noes  into  the  Everlasting  Yeas.  Not  as  a  mighty 
Corpse,  but  as  moved  by  God's  Spirit,  let  us  see  the  world  ! 
God  only  is  the  real  self-subsisting  Entity — the  To  Be.  Only 
what  is  in  Him,  and  as  far  as  it  is  in  Him,  is;  only  that 
which  is  viewed  in  connection  with  Him,  is  viewed  as  it 
really  is.  Apply  this  to  science,  theology,  history,  everyday 
life,  and  we  shall  soon  come  to  know  with  certainty  Realities 
— Yeas.  The  Beality  and  Yea  has  come  to  us  in  tangible 
visible  shape;  I  feel  as  if  Thomas  had  put  my  very  finger 
into  Christ's  side.  I  have  as  great — and  greater — evidence 
of  Heaven,  Life,  Redemption,  Eternity,  as  of  the  existence 
of  this  table  I  write  upon.  To  this,  and  along  with  this, 
comes  the  world  of  inward  experience  ;  not  only  of  mine, 
but  of  yours,  and  Krummacher  of  Berlin,  and  of  Claudius, 
fifty  years  ago,  and  all  the  different  hearts  that  for  six 
thousand  years  have  been  living  in  the  quiet  Yeas  and  not 
in  the  Noes.  Kingsley  is  a  noble  man,  who  sees  everything 
in  Christ ;  and  I  am  afraid,  till  we  come  to  this,  we  see 
nothing  in  Christ." 

He  writes  in  another  letter  about  German  liter- 
ature, and  literature  in  general : — 

"  I  am  sure  German  literature  will  give  you  many  a 
pleasant  hour.  We  have  had  a  noble  line  from  Klopstock 
down  to  Uhland,  and  in  that  garden  there  are  noble  fiowers; 


110  A   STRIKING   DREAM. 

yea,  the  poison  flowers  even  and  weeds  have  beauty,  and  are 
attractive. 

"  Do  you  know  I  have  a  sad  feeling  that  I  love  Poetry  and 
Art,  when  it  is  also  withoat  God  and  truth,  with  too  great 
fervour ;  too  much  with  my  heart !  I  had  oncp  a  dream  that 
I  went  to  heaven,  and  when  asked  whom  I  wished  to  see,  I 
said  first  Goeihe,  then  Shakes^ere ;  and  then  Peter  looked 
at  me  with  a  glance  of  pity  and  reproach,  and  I  burst  out, 
crjing,  'Let  me  see  Jesus  Christ.'  I  dreamt  that  in  1848, 
when  I  was  a  fanatic  Poesy  and  Art  worshipper,  and  I  can't 
tell  you  how  often  1  remember  this  dream.  Is  it  not  strange  ? 
Yes,  it  is  not  easy  to  love  Go  I  above  all,  and  nothing  like 
him.  God  Himself  keep  our  hearts  aright,  and  mould  our 
characters  ! 

"  Yet  Goethe  and  Shakespere  are  noble;  yea,  even  prophets, 
perhaps,  a  la  Balaam. 

"  I  wish  we  had  Cliristian  Carlyles,  Thackerays,  Dickenses, 
&c.,  but  certainly  the  new  age  is  coming  and  we  may  expect 
great  things.  With  regard  to  Germany,  I  hope  very  much 
indeed.  A  noble  Church,  a  Christianity  where  the  whole 
man,  intellect,  feeling,  imagination  is  shaped  and  transformed. 

"  Foolish  Solomon,  you  say.  Yes,  I  am.  Alas !  I  know 
it  too  well.  I  have  a  very  strange  nature.  I  feel,  when 
others  would  never  think  of  feeling;  yet  notwithstanding 
these  anomalies,  that  somewhat  pernicious  universality,  I  am 
glad  I  can  feel  intensely  for  men,  churches,  nations,  entirely 
unconnected  with  me.  I  don't  know  what  it  is,  but  I  believe 
there  is  a  kind  of  magnetic  influence  which  chains  me  to  a 
good  number  of  beings — an  influence  of  which  I  have  been 
conscious,  and  exercise  now  and  then  by  force  of  will.  By 
magnetic  I  mean  power  of  spirit  upon  spirit." 

He  writes  on  tlie  New  Year  : — 

"  So  the  Kew  Year  is  in  !  Have  you  noticed  how  beautiful 
man  is  at  Old  Year's  end  and  New  Year's  beginning ;  how 
the  undercurrent  of  love  and  affection,  cheerfulness  and 
earnestness  breaks  through  accretions  of  time  and  worldliness 
at  that  time;  and  how  features  long  dead  or  dead-like  are 
then  transfigured  and  smile  1     It  is  such  a  noble  thing,  and 


JOY  OF  EASTER   AND   PENTECOST.  Ill 

would  we  had  more  such  times  in  the  year ! — nay,  the  whole 
old  Christian  almanack  would  I  fain  bring  back,  if  I  could, 
without  frightening  my  anti-popish  brethren,  and  without 
encour-iging  my  anti-free  lom  brethren. 

**  I  do  not  know  whether  you  have  ever  felt  the  deep  and 
holy  meaning  of  Easter — after  the  earnest  winter,  and  before 
the  coming  of  spring,  lying  in  the  heart  of  the  year,  as  the 
very  central  point  of  our  Christian  life  ;  or  the  joyous  solemn 
meaning  of  Pentecost,  when  nature  is  in  her  glory,  and  the 
blessing  of  God  has  covered  the  whole  earth  with  beauty; 
the  symbol  of  the  Spirit  summer,  which  came  on  that  first 
Pentecost  day,  and  comes  ever  since. 

"Verily,  I  am  thankful  that  that  which  appears  to  me  as 
the  very  ideal  of  a  spiritual  heaven — transfigured  life  ;  of 
seeing  Divine  truth  in  all  earthly  phenomena ;  of  penetrating 
through  the  symbol  to  the  Prototype ;  of  living  continually, 
in  clem,  was  meiites  Vaters  ist  ;  that  this  idea  has  been  realized 
— a{)proximately  at  least — in  the  Church. 

"I  think  it  beautiful  and  useful  for  me  at  least,  for  minds 
constituted  like  mine  \  but  it  would  not  do,  and  in  England 
as  well  as  in  Germany  it  has  found  too  ardent  and  one-sided 
admirers.  But  as  long  as  we  make  not  a  means  an  end  we 
are  safe." 

In  one  of  his  letters  he  speaks  of  Ruskin  : — 

"Delightful  lectures  by  Ruskin,  who  has  a  very  earnest 
view  of  history,  and  is  keenly  alive  to  the  want  of  veneration 
and  truth  of  modern  ages,  and  appreciates  the  Middle  Ages, 
as  most  men  who  have  faith  and  imagination  do." 

The  following  letter  is  full  of  practical  philo- 
sophy : — 

"  Have  you  not  learned  something,  been  influenced  in  some 
way,  however  trifling,  seen  something,  which  you  will  re- 
member either  by  itself  or  uuitedly  with  other  things,  in 
every  human  being  you  have  had  the  smallest  intercourse 
with?  I  think,  if  you  examine  closely,  you  will  find  it  so. 
And   as  in  every  human  being  there  lives   some  rays,  some 


112  PRACTICAL   PHILOSOPHY. 

features,  some  chords  of  the  All-light,  the  All-beauty,  the 
All-music,  God  shows  Himself  to  us,  mirrored  in  men ;  in 
one  man  perfectly — Geloht  sei  Jesus  Christus.  Look  at  Paul, 
Augustine,  Luther,  they  are  types  of  one  class  of  Christians ; 
or  Peter,  James,  Bernard  of  Clairvaux,  Calvin — another  class ; 
or  John,  and  my  heart  wishes,  next  to  him,  Neander;  look 
at  every  variety  of  Christian  character,  every  kind  and  shade 
of  natural  gift,  temperament,  and  nature  transfigured  and 
leavened  by  the  gospel ;  in  every  peculiarity  and  individual 
feature  you  will  find  a  feature  of  God ;  and  all  Christians 
together — every  one  with  his  individuality — will  reflect  the 
full,  perfect  image  of  God.  In  heaven,  in  the  Kingdom  of 
God,  not  one  soul  is  superfluous,  or  a  repetition  of  another, 
but  every  one,  the  very  smallest,  is  needed  to  make  up  the 
fullness,  as  all  chords  in  a  harmony. 

"Now  have  I  made  myself  understood?  What  meaning 
does  this  give  to  our  personality  and  individuality  1  You 
see  Fichte's  '  /  Am '  has  made  a  deep  impression  upon  me, 
but  my  ideas  of  the  I  are  based  on  my  ideas  of  the  Thou 
which  is  above  us,  and  in  Whom  we  are.  But  I  cannot  deny, 
that  although  I  do  not  belong  to  any  school  of  Germany,  the 
modern  Philosophy  has  done  me  the  very  greatest  service, 
and  I  think  people  might  as  well  teach  the  Ptolemaean 
system  again,  or  recall  yesterday,  as  ignore  the  influence  of 
Philosophy  on  Theology.  .  .  .  Some  one  says  quaintly,  yet 
well :  '  He  has  religious  life  and  knowledge  who  can  say  I 
and  Thou  with  the  understanding  of  his  heart.'  That  is, 
who  is  conscious  of  his  individuality,  the  existence  and  destiny 
of  his  personality,  and  can  say  I,  and  at  the  same  time  knows 
that  his  I  is  based  upon  and  lives  in  a  Thou :  the  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Self-culture  in  the  true  sense 
consists  in  the  development  of  the  indi\iJualifcy  as  it  stands 
in  relation  to  or  connection  with  God. 

"  Now,  men  and  philosophers,  who  recognize  the  I  but  not 
the  Thou,  always  refer  man  to  himself,  to  be  true  to  himself, 
and  let  this  self  develop  freely.  This  is  only  half  the  truth, 
for  the  I  without  the  Thou,  and  unless  in  the  Thou,  cannot 
live  and  prosper.  (Good-night,  Mr.  Emerson,  here  we  part.) 
The  Bible  says.  Cultivate  the   (/ift   that  is   within   you ;    let 


CLAUDIUS  AND  MANLY   CHRISTIANITY.     113 

Christ  be  formed  within  you ;  abide — not  in  yourself — in 
J/e,  and  /  in  you.  Hence  (do  you  see  the  step?)  Christian 
self-culture  consists  in  looking  upon  Christ,  and  conforming 
to  His  image,  in  remaining  in  connection  and  intercourse  with 
God,  in  removing  all  outward  and  inward  obstacles  which 
prevent  Christ  from  being  formed  within  us,  in  eradicating 
all  remnants  of  sin  in  disposition,  will,  feeling,  which  mars 
the  image  of  God  in  us. 

"  The  Christian  sense  of  self-culture  is  altogether  different 
from  the  worldly  and  Christless  sense.  iSJ^ay,  in  this  point 
to  my  mind  all  questions  concentrate ;  all  unbelief,  infidelity, 
Carlyleism,  Emersonianism.  The  question  is,  Man  without 
God,  or  Man  and  God  in  God. 

"I  said,  eradicating  all  remnants  of  sin  which  belong  to 
self-culture  ;  for  it  is  clear,  since  we  are  destined  to  be  perfect 
as  our  Father,  since  God  has  chosen  us  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame 
before  Him  in  love  (Eph.  i.  -i), — it  is  clear  from  this,  that 
then  we  will  have  our  full,  pure  individuality ^  lohen  loe  are 
without  sin ;  that  is,  a  Christian's  sin  belongs  not  to  his 
individuality,  and  that  in  becoming  like  Christ  we  truly 
become  ourselves. 

"Is  not  heaven  the  perfect  union  with  God,  the  perfect 
life  of  the  individual  in  God?  Is  not  this  a  glorious  hope 
and  prospect,  and  it  will  strengthen  us  to  fight  against  that 
deep  mystery,  Sin  and  the  Devil  ? " 

Speaking  of  Claudius,  lie  tlius  refers  to  the  per- 
vasive manliness  of  real  Christianity  : — 

"Claudius  is  a  reality,  and  a  noble  specimen  of  the  true 
Christians,  who  have  not  ceased  being  men  when  they  became 
pious  (if  it  were  possible),  but  embrace  Christ  with  their 
whole  being,  in  all  its  faculties,  powers,  feelings,  gifts ;  who 
do  not  read  to  God  a  tacit  lecture  as  some  whiners  do,  saying 
the  world  is  bad,  and  all  is  vanity,  and  poetry  is  godless, 
wine  is  a  delusion,  and  love  heathenish  idolatry;  but  who 
know  what  it  means  to  live  in  this  world,  and  not  loith  it, 
and  yet  as  a  heaven-citizen.     Ah,  this  Christianity  has  such 


114  LETTER  FROM  HOME. 

a  chemical  power  of  separating  from  it  all  the  dirt  and  froth 
and  earthy  clay  that  has  been  amalgamated,  and  baked,  and 
kneaded  into  it,  th:)t  there  is  no  fear  but  we  shall  yet  see  it 
overcoming  and  penetrating  all  that  is  good  in  our  nineteenth 
century  develo[)ment,  and  appearing  in  a  nobler,  fuller,  grander 
shape  than  hitherto. 

It  was  a  deep  sorrow  to  Saphir,  in  his  student 
days,  that  he  could  never  visit  his  own  home  at 
Pesth,  as  he  would  at  once  have  been  obliged  to 
enter  the  army.  He  refers  to  this  in  a  letter  to 
Miss  Stevenson  : — 

*'I  received  such  an  affectionate  letter  from  home !  Almost 
depressing,  such  a  shower  of  love,  and  brought  back  the 
time  vAhen  I  was  such  a  spoiled,  petted  child.  My  sister 
Johanna  sends  me  a  list  of  her  favourite  pianoforte  pieces. 
I  send  them  to  you,  as  I  have  nobody  here  to  play  them  to 
me.  My  gooil  mother  is  so  anxious  to  see  me,  and  I  cannot 
get  home  on  account  of  the  abominable  Austrian  Government." 

He  writes  from  Edinburgh  to  Macleod  in  refer- 
ence to  the  memoir  of  his  brother  Philipp  : — 

"I  am  very  glad  that  you  are  going  to  notice  my  brother's 
biography.  Don't  allude  to  anything  connected  with  politics, 
it  would  be  very  itupriident,  because  of  the  despotic  Govern- 
ment of  Austria.  I  don't  know  what  has  struck  you  in  his 
life ;  I  am  sure  his  child-like  faith  and  energy  have  impressed 
you ;  also  his  objectivity,  trusting  to  Christ,  not  his  feelings. 
One  thought  I  would  like  all  wlio  read  it  to  notice  :  that  a 
Jew  is  a  human  being,  and  becomes  a  Christian  even  through 
conviction  of  sin  and  longing  a^'ter  God  and  attraction  of 
Christ,  just  as  the  others.     But  you  will  see  yourself. 

"  As  for  myself,  don't  you  see  how  I  have  kept  myself 
altogether  in  the  background  with  my  opinions  or  views  ?  I 
tried  to  show  my  brother,  and  not  my  meditations  on  and 
about  him.  If  I  have  succeeded  in  this,  I  shall  be  very 
proud. 


THE   QUESTION   OF  BAPTISM.  115 

"  Stevenson  will  be  here  in  a  week. 

"  I  have  not  yet  got  enough  teaching  ;  it  is  a  great  bore, 
and  especially  where  one  has  to  do  with  Philistines." 

He  discusses  the  question  of  Baptism  in  the 
following  letter : — 

"  The  question  about  Baptism  is  rather  difficult.  But  to 
avoid  extremes  is  not  difficult.  Let  us  hold  fast  these  two 
points :  1.  That  the  one  thing  needful  consists  in  the  change 
of  heart  effected  by  God's  inclining  it  to  surrender  itself  to 
Christ,  and  that  upon  this  and  this  alone  dej  ends  salvation. 
2.  That  no  one  of  Christ's  institutions  is  mere  ceremony  or 
si^rn,  but  reality,  spirit,  channel  of  God's  communication  of 
Divine  influence,  which  two  points  avoid  the  extremes  of 
Baptismal  Begeneration  and  Quakerism. 

*' There  is  some  difference  between  the  Church  of  Scotland 
and  that  of  England  in  the  definition  of  B.iptism.  .  .  .  The 
Chm-ch  of  England  definition  leaves  out  of  view  the  state  of 
the  recipient ;  in  the  Church  of  Scotland  the  benefits  of  the 
New  Covenant  are  represented  as  sealed  and  applied  to 
believers." 

In  letters  from  London  dated  October  1853, 
he  consults  his  friend  Macleod  as  to  taking  a 
degree  in  Glasgow  of  B.A.  He  refers  also  to  a 
stay  of  a  fevv  months  in  Hamburg.  This  was  the 
year  before  he  went  there  as  a  missionary  of  the 
Irish  Presbyterian  Church.  In  the  second  letter, 
he  says  : — 

"My  dear  Donald, 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  for  your  kind  letter.  The 
only  fact  on  which  I  am  in  doubt  is,  whether  my  not  having 
been  in  Glasgow  as  a  first  year  student  won't  prevent  my 
taking  the  degree. ^ 

*'  I  am  doubtful  whether  my  return  to  the  continent  will  be 

^  He  afterwards  got  the  degree  of  B.A. 


116  MISSION^    WORK   BEGUN. 


possible.  My  case  is  very  simple;  but  my  poor  father,  the 
quietest  man  in  the  world,  is,  on  account  of  his  connection  with 
the  mission,  odious  to  the  Government,  and  I  have  perhaps 
from  this  reason  greater  difficulties  than  I  might  have  other- 


wise. 


"I  worked  this  summer  for  three  months  in  Hamburg 
among  the  Jews  and  the  Christians  (poor  wretches  both),  and 
I  am  very  glad  I  did  it,  because  it  drove  the  cobwebs  out  of 
my  head,  and  made  me  think  more  of  Christianity  as  a  power 
in  life.  Besides,  it  gave  me  opportunities  to  practise  preaching, 
and,  on  the  whole,  it  has  had  a  decided  influence  on  my 
character. 

"  I  likewise  saw  Harms  in  Hanover,  the  holiest  man  I  ever 
saw.  Perhaps  you  have  read  about  him  and  his  missionary 
Institute,  as  your  brother  ^  knows  about  him.  I  stayed  a 
week  with  him.  Here  in  London  I  have  been  looking  and 
trying  my  powers  in  Houndsditch  and  the  immediate  vicinity; 
and  so  you  see,  that  this  summer,  though  full  of  change 
and  variety,  was  yet  a  very  practical  and  working  time  with 
me.  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  wish  me  to  come  to  Glasgow, 
and  I  assure  you,  if  things  turn  out  so,  I  enjoy  the  prospect 
very  much.  You  are  just  the  fellow  to  do  me  good,  since  I 
want  to  be  as  practical  and  English  in  my  tone  of  mind  as  I 
can.  I  have  taken  a  great  hatred  to  hair-splitting  and 
mystification.  Since  it  has  pleased  God  to  let  us  live  only  the 
tenth  part  of  the  lives  of  the  antediluvian  people,  we  can't 
alford  time  for  it." 

From  this  letter  we  see  that  Saphir  was  uow 
actively  preparing  for  work  among  the  Jews,  to 
which  he  desired  to  devote  himself.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  had  paid  a  visit  to  Hamburg,  and  after  his 
return,  he  had  "  tried  his  powers "  in  London,  in 
Houndsditch  and  the  immediate  vicinity.  The 
Jewish  work  was  that  on  which  his  heart  was  set. 
The  hope  of  engaging  in  it  had  stimulated  him  in 

1  Dr.  Norman  Macleod. 


LOVE   OF  JEWISH  MISSION   WORK.         117 


all  the  difficulties  of  his  student  life,  for  he  had 
had  to  su23port  himself  during  almost  the  whole 
of  his  College  career.  Now  that  this  was  finished, 
he  longed  to  begin  active  labour  among  his  kins- 
men. And  though  he  had  soon  to  retire  from 
the  direct  Jewish  mission  work,  his  heart  was  in 
it  to  the  end,  and  he  was  in  fact,  if  not  in  name, 
all  his  life  afterwards,  a  great  Jewish  missionary. 


118 


CHAPTER  XL 

OKDINATION  TO  THE  JEWISH  WOEK. 

Licence  as  a  Preacher,  and  Ordination  in  Belfast — Dr.  Cooke 
presides — His  Marriage — Mrs.  Saphir's  Character  and 
Influence— Hamburg — His  Idea  of  Jewish  Missions — His 
Remarkable  Tracts — Israel  Pick's  Influence — Threatened 
with  Military  Service  by  Austria — His  Views  as  to 
Methods  of  Work  not  sustained  by  the  Mission  Committee 
— He  resigns. 

AFTER  Adolph  Sapliir  had  completed  his  studies 
in  1854,  he  was  strongly  reeoninri ended  by 
Dr.  Keith  to  the  Irish  Presbyterian  Church  as  a 
missionary  to  the  Jews.  To  Jewish  mission  work 
he  desired  to  devote  his  life,  and  therefore  gladly 
accepted  the  opening.  He  was  licensed  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Belfast,  the  celebrated  Dr.  Cooke 
acting  as  Moderator  of  Presbytery,  and  speaking 
of  him  with  much  cordiality.  He  was  ordained 
by  the  same  Presbytery  as  missionary  to  the  Jews. 
A  few  days  later  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sara 
Owen,  who  belonged  to  a  family  much  respected 
in  the  neis^hbourhood  of  Dublin.  This  marriage 
was  a  most  happy  one.  His  wife  was  of  a  cheerful 
disposition,  with  much  humour,  and    considerable 


HIS  MARRIAGE.  119 


ability.  She  adored  her  husband,  and  watched 
over  him  with  the  most  tender  care.  Never  were 
people  more  devoted  to  each  other.  Mrs.  Lawson, 
the  widow  of  Judge  Lawson  of  Dublin,  and  a 
very  intimate  friend  of  the  Saphirs,  having  known 
Mrs.  Saphir  long  before  her  marriage,  writes : 
— "Dr.  Saphir's  health  from  early  youth  was  so 
frasfile  that  he  could  never  have  lived  so  long 
had  it  not  been  for  the  extreme  care  his  wife  took 
of  his  health."  This  was  the  impression  of  many 
who  knew  them  best,  and  was,  we  believe,  correct. 
Her  watchful  anxiety  put  Mrs.  Saphir  often  in 
an  awkward  position  ;  as  she  seemed  to  many  to 
be  unnecessarily  jealous  of  her  husband  receiving 
visitors,  attending  meetings,  and  undertaking  en- 
gagements. She  was,  whether  right  or  wrong,  only 
actuated  by  devotion  to  him.  They  lived  together 
— scarcely  ever  separated — for  thirty-seven  years. 
She  was  everything  to  him,  and  they  were  bound 
to  each  other  with  extraordinary  affection. 

Shortly  after  their  marriage  they  left  for  their 
new  home.  Hamburg,  one  of  the  great  commercial 
centres,  famous  for  the  grandeur  of  its  buildings 
and  the  beauty  of  its  situation,  has  a  large  number 
of  Jewish  residents  of  all  classes,  many  of  them  men 
of  wealth  and  position.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
godless  of  cities,  the  church  attendance  in  propor- 
tion to  the  population  being  infinitesimally  small. 
The  Irish  Jewish  mission  effected  good  not  only 
among  the  Jews,  but  among  the  Christians. 

Adolph    Saphir,    in    his    youthful    vigour    and 


120  TRACTS  FOR   THE  JEWS. 


inteDse  love  of  his  nation,  and  belief  in  its 
future, — a  belief  which  was  a  passion  with  him  all 
his  life  long, — had  ideas  of  his  own,  which  went 
far  beyond  the  gathering  of  a  few  converts,  or 
even  of  a  small  Christian  congregation.  He  hoped 
to  influence  Judaism  in  a  larger  way  through  the 
press,  by  proving  in  tracts  addressed  to  the  Jews, 
that  Christianity  was  the  natural  and  necessary 
outcome  of  Judaism,  as  revealed  in  their  own 
Scriptures  ;  that  Jesus  was  the  true  promised 
Messiah. 

He  had  naturally  great  literary  talent,  not  only 
as  a  didactic  teacher,  but  as  an  imaginative  writer, 
and  would  have  been  famous  both  as  a  poet 
and  novelist,  had  he  devoted  himself  to  literature. 

His  tracts  were  written  in  an  attractive  style, 
the  arguments  being  carried  on  through  imaginary 
conversations.  He  thus  refers  to  them  at  a  later 
period : — ■''  During  my  short  stay  in  Hamburg,  I 
wrote  several  pamphlets  for  the  Jews.  These  did 
not  remain  unnoticed  in  Jewish  circles.  They  were 
cordially  recommended  by  men  like  Dr.  Wichern 
and  Da  Costa.  They  have  since  been  republished  at 
different  times  and  widely  circulated.  They  have 
been  translated  into  English  and  Dutch."  Had  he 
been  able  to  carry  out  this  method  of  working  in 
the  manner  he  intended,  there  must  soon  have 
been  inquiry  among  the  Jewish  community ;  but, 
as  is  often  the  case,  the  new  methods  were  not 
approved. 

David  Livingstone  was  utterly  condemned  by  the 


WHO    TS   THE  APOSTATE?'  12] 


London  Missionary  Society's  Committee,  when  he 
set  out  on  his  great  African  explorations  instead  of 
confining  his  energies  to  the  small  station  allotted 
to  him.  Saphir's  new  methods  were  not  approved, 
and  he  could  not  get  the  means  to  carry  them 
out.  So  he  resigned  his  position  and  salary,  which 
was,  from  the  worldly  point  of  view,  a  very 
hazardous  step,  seeing  that  he  was  then  quite 
unknown  in  this  country  as  a  preacher. 

He  and  his  wife  cast  themselves  adrift  from  a 
fixed  appointment,  waiting  on  God's  guidance  to 
direct  them  to  some  other  field  of  labour.  It  is 
important  that  this  should  be  borne  in  memory. 
Whether  he  was  right  or  wrong,  as  regards  the 
committee  and  his  colleagues,  he  made  a  great 
sacrifice  to  the  conscientious  conviction  of  duty. 

As  the  tracts,  above  referred  to,  were  almost  his 
first  publications,  and  have  been  much  used  and 
blessed  in  Jewish  mission  work  for  many  years 
past,  it  may  be  interesting  to  note  them  briefly: — 

One  of  them  is  entitled,  '  Wer  ist  der  A20ostat  ? ' 
('  Who  is  the  Apostate  ? ')  It  is  divided  into  two 
sections — First  Evening  and  Second  Evening.  The 
reading  of  the  Haggada,  Liturgy  of  the  Passover, 
is  ended,  and  the  people  sit  sorrowfully  around  the 
table.  A  young  married  pair  are  holding  the  feast 
for  the  first  time  in  their  own  house,  and  have 
invited  some  friends  to  spend  the  evening  with 
them.  One  of  these  friends  is  an  old  man  with 
deep-sunk,  half-closed  eyes,  an  old  and  trusted 
family  friend.     Another  is  a  young  man  of  slight 


122  'WHO   IS   THE  APOSTATE?' 

build,  with  light,  well- arranged  hair,  who  looks 
through  his  spectacles  with  a  sagacious  and  self- 
possessed  look ;  he  is  a  student,  the  brother  of  the 
young  wife ;  the  third  is  a  friend  of  the  husband 
in  his  youth,  who  has  been  many  years  abroad, 
and  returned  to  Germany  just  a  few  years  before. 
He  has  taken  the  little  sister  of  the  philosopher  on 
his  knee,  and  asks  her  if  she  knows  why  this  feast 
is  observed  on  this  day  of  the  year.  She  answers 
quickly  that  it  is  the  Passover.  As  he  is  going 
to  explain  further,  the  old  family  friend  breaks  in 
with  the  remark  that  it  brings  back  so  vividly  the 
long  past,  and  makes  them  feel  united  with  their 
fathers  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  sends  back 
the  thought  to  the  wonderful  deliverance  from  the 
house  of  bondage  in  Egypt. 

The  young  philosopher  interrupts,  "  That's  all 
very  beautiful  and  poetic ;  but  it  is  opposed  to 
sound  understanding,  or  rather  pure  reason,  to 
believe  in  these  as  real  events ;  we  must  separate 
the  kernel  from  the  shell.  The  idea  which  lies 
at  the  basis  is  true ;  and  the  ceremony,  though 
rather  wearisome  and  unintelligible  to  us  young 
people,  may  promote  morality." 

The  old  man  is  indignant,  and  asserts  that  the 
observance  of  the  day  is  like  a  monument  of  brass, 
reminding  of  an  actual  event  of  history,  as  the 
observance  of  October  18  reminds  one  of  the  battle 
of  Leipsic. 

Then  the  third  friend  who  had  been  lono-  abroad 
expresses  his  cordial  agreement  with  the  old  man  ; 


WHO    IS   THE   APOSTATE r  123 


but  charges  his  kinsmen  with  the  mere  memory 
of  a  historical  fact,  while  forgetful  of  the  God 
of  their  fathers,  and  shows  by  quotations  from  the 
prophets  that  they  had  changed  altogether  the  idea 
of  God ;  they  worshipped  an  unknown,  concealed, 
general  Deity,  but  not  the  God  who  led  them 
out  of  Egypt,  and  gave  to  them  His  thoughts 
and  commandments.  The  young  man  listened 
contemptuously ;  but  the  old  man  repeated  the 
sad  words  of  Jeremiah — God  mourninor  over  the 
departure  of  His  peo^Dle — their  forgetfulness  of  Him. 

The  stranger  says  the  thought  of  God  is  terrible 
to  one  who  does  not  know  and  love  God  as  his 
Father,  but  only  as  the  Creator  of  the  planets,  the 
Architect  of  the  universe,  the  Ruler  of  the  bound- 
less expanse.  Does  a  child  know  his  father  as  the 
physician,  or  the  lawyer,  or  the  man  of  learning  ? 
Does  he  not  rather  know  him  as  the  man  whom 
he  loves,  and  in  whom  he  trusts,  who  protects  him, 
nourishes  him,  loves  him,  teaches  him,  and  does  all 
for  him  ? 

The  conversation  is  continued,  the  stranger 
showing  clearly  that  the  Jews  had  lost  the  true 
idea  of  God,  and  leading  them  through  their  own 
Scriptures  to  Christ  as  the  true  representative  of 
God.  The  argument  is  maintained  with  power 
and  clearness  and  freshness,  and  is  well  fitted  to 
impress  Christians  as  w^ell  as  Jews.  The  real 
apostate,  he  shows  finally,  is  he  who  rejects  God 
as  revealed  and  prophesied  of,  viz.  Jesus  the 
Messiah. 


124  '  WHO   IS  A    JEW? 


This  tract  has  had  a  large  circiTlation ,  having 
been  employed  in  connection  with  many  of  the 
missions  to  the  Jews,  and  has  been  the  means  of 
great  blessing. 

Another  tract  was  entitled,  '  Wer  ist  ein  Jade  ? ' 
('  Who  is  a  Jew  V)  "  Conversation  betw^een  a  Jew 
m  name  and  a  true  Jew."  The  parties  who  con- 
verse are  called  Neophilus  and  Theophilus.  Neo- 
philus  begins  by  quoting  the  famous  passage  of 
Lessing  about  the  t^vo  rings.  You  know^  the  wise 
saying  which  the  distinguished  Lessing  puts  in  the 
mouth  of  Nathan  the  Wise.  No  one  can  tell  which 
is  the  true  ring,  for  the  skilled  artist  has  made  two 
other  rings  so  like  the  first,  that  even  the  maker  of 
the  pattern  ring  could  not  decide.  That  describes 
my  position  as  regards  religions ;  one  is  as  good  as 
another ;  each  considers  his  own  the  true  one,  and 
is  in  this  belief  pious  and  blessed.  Besides,  my 
religion  is  simple.  The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord. 
Theophilus,  who  is  a  Christian  Jew,  shows  how^ 
these  loose  views  in  regard  to  false  religions  are 
opposed  to  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  how  the 
Jews  have  lost  the  true  idea  of  God,  as  a  Being  to 
be  loved  and  adored.  The  argument  is  chiefly 
against  the  Neologian  Jews,  of  whom  there  are  now 
a  very  large  body  in  Germany ;  but  it  tells  also 
against  the  old-fashioned  orthodox  Jews,  who  have, 
in  a  dry  monotheism,  lost  the  idea  of  the  God  of 
loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies  revealed  to 
their  fathers,  and  of  the  need  of  sacrifice  as  an 
atonement  for  sin. 


ISRAEL    PICK\S   INFLUENCE.  125 

The  method  adopted  by  Saphir,  as  a  Jewish 
missionary,  must  undoubtedly  have  told  on  the 
Jews,  as  he  adapted  himself  precisely  to  their 
state  of  mind,  and  wrote  vividly  and  attract- 
ively. This  was  a  kind  of  work  for  which  he  was 
specially  fitted.  He  possessed  even  more  power  as 
a  writer  in  German  than  in  English — popular  as 
his  writings  have  been  in  this  country.  Had  he 
remained  in  Jewish  mission  work,  he  might  have 
supplied  a  literature  that  would  have  been  of 
great  influence  in  all  the  Jewish  missions.  In  a 
preface  signed  by  Delitzsch  and  Faber  in  1889 
to  a  new  edition  of  the  Tract  '  Wer  ist  der 
Apostatf  they  say,  "When  it  was  first  written, 
thirty  years  ago,  the  writer  was  a  young  un- 
known theologian  in  Hamburg,  who,  with  his  friend 
Israel  Pick,  laboured  there  for  the  conversion  of 
the  people  of  Israel."  This  Pick  was  a  man  of 
considerable  power,  a  convert  under  Mr.  Edwards, 
Free  Church  Jewish  missionary  at  Breslau,  who 
influenced  Saphir  very  much  in  his  views  of  the 
great  future  of  the  Jews.  They  then  proceed  to 
speak  in  the  preface  of  the  great  assistance  given 
to  them  in  their  work  for  Israel  by  Saphir,  during 
the  previous  ten  years.  "  Without  Adolph  Saphir's 
active  help,  neither  the  preparation  nor  the  com- 
pletion of  Lichtenstein  s  Hebrew  Coinmenfary  on 
the  Neiv  Testament  would  have  been  possible." 

Saphir's  heart  was  to  the  end  above  all  else  in 
Jewish  mission  work,  not  chiefly  because  the  Jews 
were    his    kinsmen,    Ijut    because    of    the    certain 


126  SAPHIR   LEAVES  HAMBURG. 


promises  of  God  to  them,  of  the  glorious  future 
which  he  saw  before  them,  and  of  the  blessing  to 
be  expected  through  them  to  the  world. 

The  circumstances  referred  to  led  him  to  leave 
Hamburg,  and  give  up  the  direct  Jewish  work. 
There  was  an  additional  difficulty  as  to  his  residing 
in  Germany,  owing  to  the  Austrian  Government 
having  a  claim  upon  him  for  military  service. 
This  Government  was  then  under  the  strong  in- 
fluence of  reaction,  after  the  war  of  1849,  and 
would,  if  they  could  have  obtained  his  surrender 
by  the  North  German  authorities,  as  they  were 
trying  to  do,  have  insisted  on  his  entering  the 
army,  however  unfitted  physically  for  such  service. 
After  about  a  year's  connection  with  the  mission, 
he  left  Hamburg  and  went  to  Glasgow  in  1855. 
He  was  thus  beginning  life  anew,  casting  himself 
adrift,  and  trusting  absolutely  to  the  guidance  and 
care  of  God. 


12 


CHAPTEE   XII. 

MINISTRY  TO   GERMANS   IN   GLASGOW. 

Norman  Macleod's  Interest  and  Friendship — Letter  of  Principal 
Brown  on  his  AYork  in  Glasgow — Letters  to  a  Friend — 
His  Work  among  the  Germans — His  Anxieties — Jowett's 
Book  on  Paul — Birth  of  his  Daughter — Call  to  South 
Shields. 

WHEN  Saphir  returned  to  Scotland,  he  had  no 
definite  plan  as  to  future  work.  He  sought 
out  old  friends  in  Glasgow,  especially  Dr.  Norman 
Macleod  and  Dr.  David  Brown,  and  consulted 
with  them.  Dr.,  now  Principal  Brown,  thus 
describes  to  us  the  interest  they  felt,  and  the  sug- 
gestion made  by  Dr.  Macleod,  which  was  carried 
out : — 

"Dr.  Norman  Macleod  called  on  me,  and  said 
the  Germans  had  been  so  kind  to  him  when  in 
Germany  that  he  wished  to  repay  it  in  a  sub- 
stantial way,  and  proposed  that  he  and  I  should 
engage  one  of  the  churches  for  Saphir  to  preach  in 
every  Sunday  evening  (it  was  winter),  to  the  Buy 
a  Broom  German  girls,  who  were  stray  waifs,  aud 
in  great  danger  of  losiug  their  morals.     I   went  in 


128  'BUY  A    BROOM'    GERMAN   GIRL'S. 


with  all  my  heart  to  this,  and  we  first  called  a 
meeting  of  the  Germans  residing  in  Glasgow,  asking 
them  to  join  us.  They  said,  'We  don't  want 
German  preaching.  Some  of  us  have  English 
wives,  and  go  to  the  English-speaking  churches.' 
'  Yes ;  but  it  is  not  for  you,  but  these  poor  girls  for 
whom  no  one  cares,  and  they  arc  your  country- 
women.' This  touched  them,  and  they  agreed  to 
come  the  first  evening  and  encourage  the  girls  to 
come.  And  we  two  agreed  to  be  there,  and  after 
the  service  to  go  to  the  pulpit  together,  state  what 
object  we  had  in  view,  and  exhort  both  the  girls 
there  and  the  audience  to  help  this  work.  The 
sermon  was  simple  and  beautiful,  on  '  Our  Father 
which  art  in  heaven.'  The  first  words  of  it  were 
these: — 'This  could  be  said  by  our  first  parents. 
But  when  they  fell  out  with  God,  they  fell  out  with 
one  another,  and  woman  was  trampled  on  by  man. 
It  is  Christ  that  brings  both  together,  and  woman 
owes  to  Him  all  she  now  is,  and  we  can  7ioiv  say, 
"  Our  Father."  '  We  then,  each  of  us,  praised  the 
sermon  and  commended  the  work." 

Of  this  period  he  says  in  a  short  abstract  of  his 
life.  "  In  Glasgow  I  preached  in  German  during  six 
months.  The  church,  which  had  been  put  at  my 
disposal  for  this  purpose,  was  fairly  Avell  attended, 
the  congregation  consisting  of  several  German 
families,  governesses,  young  men  of  business,  and 
working-people.  During  my  stay  at  Glasgow,  I 
translated  Daniel  and  the  Kevelation  into  Eno^lish." 

Durincr  this   residence   in  Glasgow  he  wrote  at 


MINISTRY   TO    GERMANS  IN  GLASGOW.     129 


times  to  a  warm  friend,  the  Eev.  James  Williamson, 
a  remarkable  man,  to  whom  he  was  much  attached, 
who  had  given  himself  to  continental  work,  but 
died  early  of  consumption,  of  whom  the  Rev. 
W.  T.  Johnston,  of  Worcester,  his  nephew,  thus 
writes  : — 

"  My  uncle  was  for  some  time  minister  of  the  Protestant 
Church  of  Louvain,  Belgium.  He  died  in  1856.  My  uncle 
and  he  (Adolph,  as  he  always  called  him)  were  like  brothers. 
Saphir  frequently  visited  my  grandfather's  house,  at  Greenock, 
during  the  time  of  his  studentship  at  Glasgow  University,  and 
it  was  some  time  between  '47  and  '50  that  I  first  came  to 
know  him,  and  I  have  still  a  vivid  recollection  of  his  appear- 
ance, then  thin  and  pale,  gentle-looking  and  retiring,  with 
a  foreign  accent,  that  sounded  to  me  very  pleasant — in  most 
other  respects,  much  as  he  was  to  the  end.'' 

In  one  of  these  letters  to  Mr.  Williamson, 
referring  to  his  services,  he  says  : — 

''  I  had  the  first  German  service  last  Sunday.  The  attend- 
ance was  encouraging.  It  may  interest  you  to  hear  something 
about  the  service.  I  began  with  the  Segensgruss  and  a  hymn. 
Then  prayed,  and  read  the  Gospel  and  Epistle.  After  this  I 
said  the  Creed  and  the  Lord's  Prayer.  We  sang  again,  and 
then  the  sermon  followed.  Prayer,  singing,  and  the  bene- 
diction concluded  the  service.  I  don't  know  whether  you  like 
the  Creed.  My  chief  reason  for  saying  it  is  to  confess  before 
the  people  the  leading  facts  of  salvation.  As  I  call  myself 
neither  Lutheran  nor  Calvinistic,  they  ought  to  know  at  once 
that  I  am  not  hekenntnisslos.  I  think  I  heard  you  once 
remark,  that  you  thought  the  Apostolic  Cieed  defective,  as 
it  mentioned  not  regeneration,  &c.  The  people  were  very 
attentive ;  but,  I  assure  you,  it  is  difiicult  to  preach  to  people, 
of  whom  you  know  well  that  they  do  not  understand  Christ's 
language.  I  am  very  careful  about  style,  delivery,  etc.,  because 
I   know  these  things  are  to  theiu  of  first  importance,  and   1 


130  LETTERIS   TO  A    FRIEND. 

am  anxious  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  induce  them  to  listen. 
There  are  many  Jews  among  them.  I  am  going  to  call  on 
some  families  next  week,  and  hope  to  see  soon  whether  there 
is  a  field  for  me  this  winter. 

"  Since  I  saw  you,  I  have  received  good  news  from  Pesth. 
The  Government  have  given  at  last  permission  to  the  Evan- 
gelical Party  of  the  Protestant  Church  to  erect  a  Theological 
Faculty.  The  Professors  have  been  appointed,  and  are  lehendige 
Manner.    This  will  be  better  for  Hungary  than  Kossuth's  work. 

"  I  am  busy  now,  and  very  thankful  that  I  am,  for  I  find 
it  difficult  to  be  patient,  and  am  often  troubled  with  unbelief 
and  anxiety.  And  yet  what  a  miserable  thing  it  would  be  to 
have  only  a  layer  of  occupations  separating  me  from  doubt 
and  distrust  ! " 

111  another  letter  he  says  : — 

''You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  I  had  a  good  attendance 
last  evening,  better  than  on  the  former  one.  I  preached  on 
Thomas'  unbelief.  I  see  many  Jewish  faces  in  the  church, 
and  feel  myself  constrained  to  preach  more  in  a  missionary 
way  than  I  would  to  an  ordinary  congregation.  Next  Sunday 
being  Reformationsfest,  I  intend  to  speak  on  the  Reformation 
from  Christ's  words,  '  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labour,'  &c. 

"I  am  reading  just  now  Jowett's  new  book  on  Paul.  I 
like  the  style,  but  not  the  matter.  He  has  no  idea  of  the 
Divinity  of  the  Old  Testament  and  its  dispensation,  and  sees 
therefore  many  Jeivish  views  in  Paul.  Dr.  Brown  tells  me  the 
book  is  making  much  noise  in  England,  and  I  think  he  intends 
reviewing  it. 

"  I  did  not  think  the  translation  of  Auberlen  would  give 
me  so  much  to  do ;  the  proof  sheets  are  horrible,  and  enough 
to  cure  any  one  of  the  furor  scribendi. 

"I  suppose  Meyer  wrote  you  of  his  ordination,  and  the 
testimonial  his  German  congregation  gave  him.  I  am  reading 
very  little  now,  and  think  I  won't  undertake  a  translation 
again ;  translating  Auberlen  has  been  useful  to  me.  I  see 
Stanley  has  written  on  Palestine.  Harms  in  Herrmansburg 
was  accused  before  the  Consistory  of  heresy,  and  his  enemies 


BIRTH   OF  HIS   DAUGHTER.  131 


wished  to  degrade  him  from  his  pastoral  dignity  and  imprison 
him ;  but  they  did  not  succeed." 

In  the  next  letter  he  tells  of  the  birth  of  his 
daughter  : — 

'"To  day  I  have  to  give  you  great  news.  My  wife  brought 
me  yesterday  ein  Meines  Tochterlein.  She  is  remarkably 
well,  I  am  thankful  to  say. 

"  I  don't  agree  with  you  in  your  estimate  of  Harms ;  he  is 
very  orthodox,  that  is  from  a  Lutheran  point  of  view.  I  think 
Shields  promises  well.  Pray  for  me;  I  believe  more  firmly 
in  the  power  of  prayer  than  I  used  to  do.  What  a  haze  of 
sophistication,  Wissenschaftlichkeit  and  obscurations  of  simple 
truths  is  that,  out  of  which  I  am  but  gradually  emerging  !  I 
mean  with  my  heart  and  inward  life  ',  theoretically  it  is  easy 
enough  to  get  rid  of  it,  but  the  evil  inflaences  remain  very 
long. 

''I  am  in  great  distress  about  my  friend  Pick,  the  Jew,  who 
is  falling  into  strange  exaggerations  about  working  miracles, 
&c.  I  love  him  very  much,  and  think  he  is  yet  to  do  some- 
thing for  the  poor  Jews.  It  is  very  mysterious  that  he  has 
taken  such  a  course." 

The  services  were  continued  from  Sabbath  to 
Sabbath  with  much  interest  and  success.  A  sum 
of  £100  was  raised  to  sustain  them ;  but  the 
position  was  altogether  uncertain  for  the  future. 

Saphir  continued  in  Glasgow  for  more  than  half 
a  year,  enjoying  the  friendshi]3  of  many  Christian 
people,  and  bringing  to  Christ  and  strengthening 
the  souls  of  many  of  these  poor  Germans  to  whom 
he  ministered. 


132 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

BEGINNING  OF  LIFE-WORK   IN  ENGLAND. 

Settlement  at  South  Shields — Mr.  J.  C.  StevensoD,  M.P.,  and 
Mrs.  Stevenson — His  First  Experiments  as  to  the  Method 
of  Delivery — The  Method  adopted — His  Idea  of  Preaching 
— His  Appearance  and  Manner — His  Book  on  Conversion 
— Eev.  James  Hamilton,  D.D. — Death  of  his  only  Child. 

AT  this  time,  without  any  plan  of  his  own,  but 
by  the  special  guidance  of  the  Providence  of 
God,  he  was  about  to  enter  on  his  great  life-work 
as  an  English  preacher.  On  the  suggestion  of  an 
old  College  friend,  he  was  invited  to  preach  at 
Lay  gate  Presbyterian  Church,  South  Shields.  This 
friend  was  Mr.  Stevenson,  architect,  of  Bayswater, 
London,  whose  father  was  the  proprietor  of  large 
chemical  works  at  South  Shields,  and  had  erected 
this  church  for  the  benefit  of  his  workmen  and  the 
neighbourhood.  Here  Saphir  constantly  enjoyed 
the  society  of  Mr.  James  Cochrane  Stevenson,  who 
has  since  been  for  many  years  Member  of  Parlia- 
ment for  South  Shields,  and  who,  as  an  elder,  was 
most  active  in  the  congregation ;  also  of  his  wife, 
Mrs.  Stevenson,  daughter  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Ander- 
son  of   Morpeth,  a    minister   wtII   known    in    the 


SETTLEMENT  AT  SOUTH  SHIELDS.  i:>r, 


Church  of  Scotland,  and  then  in  the  Free  Church, 
and  afterwards  in  the  English  Presbyterian  Church. 
After  his  first  visit  to  Shields,  to  his  friend  Mr. 
Williamson,  he  writes  : — 

••  I  have  since  been  in  Shields  and  preached  there  two 
Sundays.  I  like  the  place  and  the  people.  They  are  ^;?as^*V, 
and  I  think  I  can  see  suitabilities  on  both  sides,  if  I  may  use 
such  an  expression.  I  have  since  heard  from  Mr.  Stevenson, 
who  takes  the  chief  interest  in  the  church,  that  the  congrega- 
tion is  going  to  give  me  a  call — and  I  feel  much  inclined  to 
look  on  this  neutral  ground  as  very  desirable  for  me  in  my 
present  position.  The  place  is  increasing  rapidly,  and  I  would 
have  a  good  field  among  the  working-men,  who  are  great 
readers." 

The  call  \Yas  given  very  cordially,  and  as 
cordially  accepted. 

Here  he  really  commenced  his  career  as  an 
English  preacher.  He  had  at  first  some  difiiculty 
as  to  the  best  methods  to  be  employed,  and  began, 
we  believe,  by  writing  out  and  by  reading  his 
sermons.  He  found  however  that  there  was  too 
much  restraint  in  this,  and  soon  adopted  the 
method  he  always  used  afterwards,  of  thinking 
out  his  subject  with  care,  writing  out  portions, 
and  then  speaking  freely,  without  even  notes,  in 
the  pulpit.  But  that  there  was  careful  prepara- 
tion, and  not  mere  extempore  speaking,  was  evident 
from  the  closely  connected  and  compact  thought 
of  each  sermon.  He  had  a  wonderful  power  of 
compressing  in  short  space,  a  large  and  compre- 
hensive view  of  his  subject,  and  doing  so  with 
an  intense  fervency,  and  a  thrilling  tone  of  a  deep, 


134        SAPHIR'S   FIRST   BOOK—'  CONVERSION 


spirit-stirring  voice,  which  had  a  kind  of  magnetic 
power,  never  to  be  forgotten  by  those  who  came 
under  its  influence.  He  considered  that  the  great 
object  of  preaching  ought  to  be  the  interpreting  of 
Scripture,  the  unfolding  of  it,  in  its  relations  to 
other  parts,  and  its  application  to  practical  life. 
Few  preachers  of  our  own,  or  almost  any  other 
age,  have  had  as  great  a  knowledge  of  Scripture. 

The  quietness  of  Shields,  where  there  was  not 
a  large  congregation — though  he  considerably  in- 
creased it — gave  him  time  to  develop  and  regulate 
his  powers  as  an  English  preacher,  and  also  leisure 
to  pursue  his  studies  in  general  literature  as  well 
as  theology,  both  in  German  and  English. 

At  Shields  he  had  his  admirers,  but  was  com- 
paratively unknown  beyond.  He  wrote  however 
a  book,  when  minister  there — his  first  book — 
entitled  Conversion,  which  attracted  the  attention, 
amonsf  others,  of  the  late  Dr.  James  Hamilton 
of  London,  who  thus  noticed  it  in  the  pages  of 
Evangelical  Christendom: — -'With  its  deep  in- 
sight, its  glowing  tone  of  love  and  gladness,  and 
its  abundance  of  thought,  original,  wise,  and 
beautiful,  this  is  a  riire  book.  Mr.  Saphir  is  'a 
householder  who  bringeth  forth  out  of  his  treasure 
things  new  and  old ' ;  and  while  he  secures  our 
confidence  by  his  loyalty  to  the  unchanging  veri- 
ties, he  deserves  our  gratitude  for  many  new  and 
happy  illustrations.  Nor  do  we  know  many  books 
where  so  much  scholarship  is  brought  to  bear  with 
so  little   ostentation,  nor  many  books  adapted  to 


REVIEWED   AND   DESCRIBED.  185 

SO  wide  a  range  of  readers."  This  book  contains 
sketches  of  conversions,  of  both  Old  and  New 
Testament  periods.  It  shows  great  insight  into 
character,  and  gives  true  portraits  of  the  men  as 
well  as  vivid  descriptions  of  the  circumstances. 
By  many  it  is  felt  to  be  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing of  his  books, — written  with  youthful  fervour. 
It  abounds  in  sentences  in  which  great  truths  are 
given  in  few  words,  and  in  a  manner  not  to 
be  forgotten — as  for  instance  : — 

Stop  here  a  moment,  and  ponder  on  these  great 
truths.  Jesus  is  both  Lamb  and  Lion,  Saviour 
and  Judge,  the  Forgiver  of  sins  and  the  Judge 
of  sinners.  Now  Satan  tempts  us  to  think  that 
Jesus  is  severe  and  awful  to  approach  noiv,  whereas 
he  makes  us  believe  that  in  that  great  day  Christ 
will  be  merciful  and  indulgent.  .  .  .  Whereas  the 
truth  is  exactly  the  reverse.  Noiv,  Jesus  is  the 
Lamb.  Be  not  afraid  of  going  to  Him,  however 
guilty  and  sinful.  He  has  not  a  harsh  word  for  a 
sinner  comins;  to  Him  now.  His  whole  messao^e  is 
pardon  and  peace.  What  can  be  more  gentle  than 
a  lamb  ?  Even  the  youngest  child  will  approach 
fearlessly  and  confidently,  and  put  its  tiny  arm 
round  the  neck  of  the  gentle  lamb.  Thus,  0 
sinner,  come  boldly  to  Him  who  now  is  Jesus, 
Saviour.  But  a  day  is  coming  when  there  shall 
be  revealed  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  ;  when  the 
Saviour  will  no  longer  say  to  His  persecutors  and 
enemies,  "  I  am  Jesus  "  ;  but  shall  manifest  Himself 
as  the  righteous  Judge  and  King,  and  say  to  all 


13G  PASSAGES   FROM  '  CONVERSION: 


who  rejected  and  despised  Him,  "Depart  from  Me.'' 
'^  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  He  be  angry,  and  ye  perish 
from  the  way  when  His  wrath  is  kindled  but  a 
little."     Blessed    are  all  they  that  trust  in  Him  ! 

The  following  passage  on  the  Psalms  expresses 
much  in  a  few  words  : — 

Knowest  thou  the  chief  musician  whom  God 
has  given  to  His  people  ?  that  man  after  His 
own  heart,  who  knew  life,  with  its  bitterness 
and  joys,  its  trials  and  sorrows,  its  sunshine  and 
gloom,  its  mountain  heights  and  dark  valleys  ? 
Lovest  thou  the  Psalms?  "The  Bible, in  minia- 
ture," Luther  calls  them  ;  where  thou  seest  the  very 
heart-life  of  God's  saints.  In  the  night  of  afflic- 
tion, in  the  storms  of  temptation,  in  the  unquiet 
of  repentance,  in  the  twilight  of  doubt,  have  you 
found  in  them  supplications,  and  sighs,  and  out- 
pourings of  heart  that  you  could  make  your  own  ? 
In  the  joy  of  fulfilled  wishes,  in  the  ecstasy  of 
gratitude  and  praise,  in  the  overwhelming  moments 
when  you  were  crowned  with  loving-kindness  and 
mercies  of  which  you  were  not  worthy,  have  you 
found  in  them  hallelujahs,  songs  of  triumph  and 
adoration  ?  My  fellow  -  Christians,  I  know  you 
have,  for  God  has  given  this  Book  of  Psalms  to 
be  the  companion  of  His  people — and  His  Church 
will  use  it  and  sing;  it,  till  we  learn  that  new  sono- 
in  heaven.  And  out  of  that  song-book  did  the 
prisoners  (Paul  and  Silas)  doubtless  sing. 

These  passages,  and  numberless  others,  clearly 
indicate  the  power  he  possessed  as  a  preacher,  before^ 


DEATH   OF  HIS   ONLY   CHILD.  137 

he  was  brought  into  prominent  public  notice.  The 
whole  thought  of  the  book  is  scriptural  and  pro- 
found, yet  clear,  conveying  the  lesson  intended 
in  the  various  narratives  referred  to  tersely  and 
lucidly — with  poetic  power  describing  the  scenes, 
and  yet  never  sacrificing  the  evangelical  teaching 
to  pictorial  efiect. 

His  ministry  in  Shields  continued  for  five  years, 
and  was  undoubtedly  of  importance  in  God's 
providence  in  preparing  him  for  his  future  work. 
Here  also  in  Shields,  he  and  his  wife  had  a  pre- 
paration of  another  kind,  under  the  chastening 
hand  of  the  Lord,  in  the  very  sad  loss  of  the  only 
child  they  ever  had,  a  little  girl  of  about  a  year 
and  a  half  old,  whom  they  had  named  Asra.  This 
Avas  a  terrible  blow,  which  he  could  not  think  of  in 
after  years  without  deepest  pain,  and  which  he  often 
recalled  and  dwelt  upon,  in  times  of  depression. 


38 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

SETTLEMENT  AT   GREENWICH. 

The  Rev.  George  Duncan — The  Congregation — Speedy  Popu- 
larity— The  Church  needs  to  be  Enlarged — Letters  to  Mr. 
Stevenson,  M.P.  and  others  as  to  his  Work — Letters  de- 
scriptive of  Saphir  and  his  Ministry — Edward  Irving — • 
Campbell  of  Row  —Sermon  to  Children — Letters  to  Lady 
Kinloch — Joy  in  his  Work — Spiritual  Fruits. 

AT  last  lie  was  to  enter  on  his  great  mission. 
His  fame  had  reached  London,  not  only 
through  Dr.  James  Hamilton's  admiration  of  his 
book,  but  also  through  Mr.  Duncan,  his  predecessor 
at  Greenwich.  The  Kev.  George  Duncan,  a  man 
beloved  by  all  who  knew  him,  son  of  the  celebrated 
Dr.  Duncan  of  Euthwell,  when  about  to  retire  from 
his  ministerial  charge  of  St.  Mark^s  Presbyterian 
Church,  Greenwich,  w^as  anxious  to  find  a  successor 
who,  he  hoped,  might  acquire  great  influence  for 
good.  He  had  himself  been  in  North  Shields 
before  going  to  Greenwich,  and  having  man}' 
friends  there,  had  naturally  heard  much  about 
Saphir  and  his  spiritual  teaching.  He  had  also 
heard  him  himself.  He  strongly  recommended 
him  to  his  people,  who  were  a  comparatively 
small  body,  and  Saphir  was  unanimously  called 
to  be  their  minister. 


SPEEDY  POPULARITY  AT   GREENWICH.      139 

He  went  to  Greenwich  in  1861.  The  effect  of 
his  ministry  was  instantaneous.  The  church,  which 
had  been  sparsely  attended,  soon  became  densely 
filled,  not  only  on  the  Sundays,  but  at  the  week- 
night  services.  The  people  Hocked,  even  from  the 
popular  evangelical  ministry  of  Canon  Miller,  to 
hear  him,  and  there  gathered  round  him  people  of 
all  churches,  especially  earnest-minded  Christians. 
There  was  so  much  spiritual  life  in  his  preaching, 
and  so  much  instruction  based  on  thorough  know- 
ledge of  Scripture,  that  Christian  people  felt  both 
quickened  and  edified,  and  many  careless  persons, 
attracted  at  first  by  the  crowds,  were  impressed 
under  his  ministry. 

The  following  letter  from  one  who  was  early 
attracted  to  his  Greenwich  ministry  gives  a  vivid 
idea  of  his  power  : — 

''It  is  very  difiicult  to  write  recollections  of 
beloved  Dr.  Saphir  which  will  be  oi  'piiblic  interest. 
Through  his  wonderful  ministry  he  has  become,  so 
to  speak,  incorporated  into  one's  being,  and  will 
exercise  a  life-long  power  over  those  who  really 
knew  and  loved  him.  His  words,  his  manner  and 
tone  of  voice,  with  the  merry  quick  twinkle  in  his 
eye,  all  return  to  the  mental  vision  almost  as  though 
we  had  just  been  enjoying  them. 

'•  The  first  time  I  saw  Dr.  Saphir  was  in  St. 
Mark's  Church,  Greenwich.  How  well  1  remember 
it,  that  ethereal-looking  little  man  (minus  gown 
and  bands),  speaking  without  any  note,  and  with 
that  peculiar  sideway  glance  at  his  left  hand  which 


UO  SECRET   OF  SAPHIRS    POWER. 

made  people  think  be  had  hieroglyphics  written  on 
his  finger-nails !  I  remember  feeling  it  was  a 
wonderful  address,  but  somehow  it  seemed  a  long 
way  off,  heaven-high  above  me. 

"  But  we  continued  going,  and  soon  his  ministry 
began  to  exercise  that  wonderful  interest  and 
fascination  which  made  ns  think  nothing  of  the 
long  exposed  walk  twice  a  Sunday  in  any  wind 
or  weather,  so  only  we  might  be  present  at  the 
feast  to  follow. 

''  What  was  the  secret  of  it  ?  a  fine  intellect  ?  a 
splendid  command  of  language  ?  a  wide  and  com- 
prehensive knowledge  of  Scripture  ^  All  these  he 
had,  and  they  were  blessed  gifts  of  God ;  but 
the  secret  was,  that  Jesus  was  to  him  first  and 
foremost.  He  saw  Jesus  from  Genesis  to  Reve- 
lation, and  this  Jesus  became  transfigured  (at  least 
to  one  of  his  hearers),  no  longer  the  abstract 
mighty  Being  far  away  somewhere  in  heaven ;  but 
the  living,  loving,  exalted,  coming  Son  of  man,  yet 
to  be  glorified  and  owned  in  this  world,  where  He 
is  still  despised,  when  all  things,  natural  as  well  as 
spiritual,  shall  own  His  sway,  and  praise  His  Name. 
Ah !  it  was  wonderful  what  a  new  lioht  dawned 
through  those  burning  words  of  his,  and  how  God 
owned  him  to  be  His  servant,  by  the  way  in  which 
so  frequently  he  answered  the  unspoken  questions 
of  the  heart,  clearly  and  concisely,  as  though  they 
had  been  laid  out  in  order  before  him,  whereas  he 
knew  nothing,  but  his  Master  knew,  and  gave  His 
servant  the  needed  portion  to  distribute  ;  or  some- 


HIS   GREENWICH  MINISTRY.  141 


times  it  was  some  trouble  ahead,  and  even  before 
it  reached  us,  the  needed  words  of  comfort  and 
strength  had  already  been  spoken,  in  readiness 
by  God's  faithful  messenger. 

"  The  short  opening  prayers,  specially  on  Sunday 
mornings,  have  left  a  marked  impression  on  my 
mind.  They  only  lasted  two  or  three  minutes, 
and  yet  often  I  have  felt,  '  That  is  enough ;  I  can 
go  home  now  if  need  be ' — it  was  so  truly  entering 
into  the  presence-chamber  of  the  King.  He  loved 
to  repeat  that  we  had  come  to  meet  with  Jesus, 
and  claim  the  promise  made  to  those  gathered  in 
His  Name ;  we  had  come  not  because  it  was  eleven 
o'clock  on  Sunday  morning  or  because  it  was  the 
Presbvterian  Church,  but  to  see  Jesus. 

''  The  devil  was  a  great  reality  to  him.  He  used 
to  say,  the  preacher  saw  the  place  full  of  angels  and 
devils  ;  the  praying  Christians,  the  seeking  souls 
helped  him  ;  all  the  rest  dragged  him. 

"  And  then  the  Communion  seasons — oh  !  what 
times  of  blessing  they  were  I — when  our  hearts 
burned  within  us,  and  the  disciples  as  of  old  could 
say,  they  were  glad,  for  they  had  seen  the  Lord.  He 
would  have  liked  the  Communion  every  Sunday,  the 
resurrection-day  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ ;  our  birthday,  as  he  loved  to  call  it ;  but  he 
only  succeeded  in  bringing  the  people  to  a  monthly 
instead  of  a  quarterly  Communion. 

"  Tn  private  intercourse  his  simplicity  and  child- 
likeness  were  in  marked  contrast  to  the  mighty 
power  displayed  in  the  pulpit.      If  reference  was 


142       SAPIinrS   KXTinafE   SENSITIVENESS. 


made  to  his  sermons,  he  would  speak  of  them  as 
though  some  other  person  had  preached  them. 
'  Yes,  1  like  that ;  that  is  a  beautiful  thought ;  is 
it  not  wonderful  V  and  so  on. 

"  When  there  was  a  collection  for  the  Jewish 
Society,  that  was  a  gala  time  with  him  ;  he  would 
announce  the  collection  before  beginning  to  speak, 
and  then  launch  into  his  subject.  AVe  had  good 
measure  on  these  occasions  ;  he  would  generally 
speak  for  an  hour  or  nearly  so,  ranging  through  the 
Scriptures,  unfolding  to  us  God's  plans  and  purposes 
for  His  beloved  chosen  nation,  proving  that  His 
promises  are  true  and  faithful,  and  must  lie  fulfilled. 

"  He  was  so  painfully  sensitive  that  he  became 
greatly  depressed,  and  after  his  thrilling  a  large 
congregation,  on  going  into  the  vestry  you  would 
find  him  down  in  the  depths  ;  some  little  trifle 
^^'ould  make  him  feel  that  his  work  was  of  little 
use.  He  would  shrink  up  like  a  snail  into  his  shell 
in  a  shy  sort  of  way.  Did  he  see  a  little  group 
of  people  in  the  aisle  after  the  sermon,  '  Oh,  there 
are  a  good  many  people,  I  will  go  round  the  other 
way  ; '  while  the  said  people  were  lingering  in  the 
hope  of  a  passing  word  and  a  shake  of  the  hand. 
T  often  thought  he  deprived  himself  of  some  of  the 
cheer  he  might  have  had. 

"  He  was  not  only  sensitive,  but  sympathetic. 
Often  there  comes  to  my  mind  an  expression  used 
by  him  in  prayer,  '  It  may  be  we  are  too  weak  to 
pray,  then  we  put  our  hand  into  the  h.and  of  Jesus, 
and  say,  "  Pray  with  me."  '  " 


llh^  POWERFUL   PREACHING,  143 


Another  member  of  the  Greenwich  congregation 
writes  of  him  : — 

''  Most  truly  his  life  was  most  valuable,  and 
much  more  widely  and  richly  blessed  of  God 
than  any  outward  manifestation  ever  showed.  .  .  . 
Sitting  under  his  ministry  just  made  one  instinct- 
ively feel  that  secret  communion  with  God  w^as 
the  atmosphere  he  breathed.  His  preaching  was 
no  mere  delivery  of  a  sermon  outside  as  it  were 
of  himself,  but  a  pouring  forth  of  the  God-given 
wisdom,  with  the  whole  man  so  engrossed  thereby, 
that  while  in  the  pulpit  seeming,  as  one  said  to 
me  one  day,  '  strong  as  a  lion ' — afterwards  there 
was  complete  exhaustion. 

'*0f  a  highly-strung,  keenly-sensitive  nature — as 
a  medical  man  wdio  knew  him  only  through  attend- 
ino'  him  durino-  a  severe  illness  abroad,  said  to  me 
afterwards,  '  His  mind  is  too  bio  for  that  little 
body,' — while  the  simplicity  of  a  child  mingled 
with  his  profound  spiritual  experience.  The  chief 
beauty  of  his  ministry  w\as,  that  while  too  deep 
to  be  fully  appreciated  by  the  shallow-minded 
Christian,  it  was  so  clear  and  simple  that  I  have 
seen  the  poor  in  this  w^orld,  illiterate  as  regards 
earthly  wisdom,  but  taught  of  God,  drink  in  the 
message,  and  echo  out  a  glad  Amen  ;  while  by 
MSS.  and  printed  books  many  gained  rich  blessings 
wdio  had  never  seen  his  face.   .   .   . 

'*  I  owe  much  to  him.  May  your  '  work'  be  '  an 
inscription  of  praise  unto  the  King  of  Israel,  who, 
from  among  His  chosen  people,  raised  up  one,  and 


144  LETTERS   TO   MR.    STEVENSON,   M.P. 

SO  filled  and  gifted  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to 
gather  in  and  build  up  His  people  in  their  most 
holy  faith  ! '  .  .  .  As  of  Apollos,  one  might  truly 
say  of  him,  '  mighty  in  the  Scriptures/  for  as  a 
Jew  he  had  a  most  marvellous  grasp  of  the  whole 
Word  of  God." 

In  the  following  letters  to  Mr.  J.  Cochrane 
Stevenson,  M.P.,  with  whom  he  had  been  so 
intimately  and  pleasantly  associated  at  South 
Shields,  he  gives  a  cheerful  view  of  his  work. 

Tn  a  letter  dated  Feb.  4,  1863,  he  says  :— 

"  I  send  by  this  post  a  circular  about  the  enlargement  of 
our  church.  I  had  many  difficulties  within  and  without, 
but  all  has  ended  well,  and  the  present  plan  has  been  adopted 
quite  cordially  and  unanimously.  We  have  been  much 
encouraged  in  our  work,  and  my  most  sanguine  expectations 
have  been  surpassed.  I  am  anxious  to  have  the  spire  com- 
pleted, and  above  all,  to  open  the  church  free  of  debt.  Next 
Sabbath  we  are  to  add  seven  office-bearers  :  three  elders,  viz. 
General  Shortrede,  Mr.  L.  Mackay,  and  Mr.  Basden.  Among 
the  deacons  are  Mr.  Fraser  (Dr.  Hamilton's  brother-in-law), 
and  Mr.  Strahan  the  publisher.  Our  congregation  is  certainly 
a  very  mixed  one :  Episcopalians,  Baptists,  Independents, 
and  a  very  few  Plymouthists ;  but  they  are  beginning  to 
coalesce,  and  we  have  every  reason  to  be  hopeful.  I  am 
just  expecting  Mr.  J.  E.  Mathieson  and  Carstairs  Douglas.^ 
Douglas  is  to  hold  a  meeting  to-night  in  our  church.  We 
are  expecting  McLeod  and  Stevenson  on  Monday.  There  is 
to  be  a  breakfast  at  Strahan's  in  the  morning,  and  a  dinner 
at  the  '  Trafalgar '  in  the  evening  for  Good  Words  folk : 
Hughes  ('Tom  Brown'),  Ludlow,  Trollope,  &c.  I  was  to 
be  among  the  small  fry,  but  I  have  to  be  at  a  Jubilee 
meeting  in  Blackheath.      McLeod   and  Stevenson  are  ffoino^ 

1  The  well-known  missionary  to  China  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  England. 


ON   CHURCH  PliOGEESS  AT   CREENWICH.     145 

to  Germany  to  import  deaconesses  to  Glasgow  !  Did  you 
notice  in  jSTovember  Good  Words  an  article,  'Words  of  Life 
from  a  Roman  Catholic  Pulpit '  1  If  not,  I  think  you  will 
be  interested  in  it.  I  intend  writing  a  second  article  on  the 
same  priest.  As  I  am  advertising  myself,  I  may  also  add 
that  I  wrote  '  The  Land  of  Chain,'  and  that  I  translated 
the  poem  on  the  Noah's  Ark  in  the  article  on  '  Toys.' " 

In  another  letter  to  Mr.  Stevenson  he  says  : — 

'•  I  should  have  acknowledged  your  letter,  and  thanked 
you  for  your  kind  contribution  before  this,  but  I  had  no 
end  of  meetings  and  engagements  the  last  week.  ...  I 
quite  sympathize  with  you  in  your  feeling  about  the  traditions 
of  men.  But,  I  suppose,  that  while  we  retain  our  liberty 
in  our  own  conscience  and  mind,  we  have  to  bear  the  infirmity 
of  the  weak  brethren.  I  am  convinced  however  that  our 
Church,  as  a  whole,  is  paralyzed  by  the  prevailing  legal 
spirit.  Those  who  enjoy  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
have  a  clear  need  of  the  truth,  will  as  a  rule  be  large- 
minded  ;  and  my  impression  is,  that  if  our  ministers  and 
elders  were  more  evangelical,  and  more  delivered  from  the 
spirit  of  bondage,  our  churches  would  in  a  very  short  time 
present  a  totally  new  appearance. 

"  ^Ye  are  going  on  well,  thank  God,  in  our  church.  The 
building,  to  speak  of  the  external  first,  turned  out  better 
than  w^e  expected  :  good  air,  easy  speaking,  plenty  of  light, 
and  the  aesthetics  gratified.  The  expenses  turned  out  heavier 
than  expected,  £3800;  we  are  still  £2000  in  debt.  The 
congregation  is  large,  and  I  have  much  reason  to  praise  the 
Lord.  We  have  300  communicants,  and  a  considerable 
number  of  very  earnest  spiritual  people.  We  are  going  to 
introduce  the  Synod's  Hymn-book  the  first  Sunday  in  March. 
I  would  have  greatly  preferred  the  collection  of  Mr.  W.  F. 
Stevenson,  but  yielded  to  the  caution  of  two  old  elders,  who 
of  course  opposed  hymns  in  general.  They  are  quite  old- 
school  on  every  point,  and  sore  about  all  the  innovations, 
and  the  complete  change  and  enlargement  that  has  taken 
place.     They  did  not  want  any  enlargement,  being  satisfied 


14G  URGES   FREQUENT   COMMUNION. 

with  what  I  called  a  very  limited  '  Caledonian  Club.  JS'o 
English  admitted.'  But  the  Scotch  people  did  not  come 
till  the  English  set  them  the  example.  This  also  is  a  contest 
between  gospel  and  law-gospel :  Sara  and  Hagar.  But  I 
do  think  they  have  got  more  light  and  liberty.  .  .  .  The 
English  Christians,  as  a  rule,  have  clearer  views ;  and  the 
chief  reason,  I  am  firmly  convinced,  why  we  Presbyterians 
do  not  make  more  progress  in  England,  is  simply  our  want 
of  the  true  gospel  spirit.  It  sounds  harsh,  but  T  could  prove 
it  to  demonstration. 

"  AVe  have  the  communion  once  in  every  two  months. 
7\fter  the  struggle  I  laid  down  from  the  pulpit  the  principle 
that  like  the  Apostles  we  ought  to  have  it  everij  Sunday. 
For  those  who  like  authority  for  truth,  and  to  whom  truth 
is  not  authority,  I  quote  Calvin  and  John  Owen.  In 
Spurgeon's  church  they  have  the  communion  every  Sunday. 
But  once  a  month  is  quite  common  both  in  the  Church  of 
England  and  among  Dissenters.  What  right  have  we  to 
keep  people,  who  enjoy  the  Lord's  Supper  as  they  do  prayer, 
itc,  waiting  for  two  months,  and  in  case  of  sickness,  &c., 
four  to  six  %  Special  prayer-meetings  and  other  self -invented 
extra  services  are  multiplied,  but  Christ's  own  institution 
never  enters  their  minds  as  a  means  of  revival.  My  peo^y^ 
are  almost  all  in  favour  of  the  weekly  Communion  ;  in  fact, 
nothing  but  the  gospel  binds  these  heterogeneous  elements 
of  Baptists,  Independents,  Episcopalians,  ifec,  together,  and 
I  should  be  very  sorry  to  make  Old  School  Presbyterians 
of  them.  But  enough  of  Church  affairs.  I  must  only  add, 
that  we  have  a  beautiful  spire,  and  tliat  the  neighbourhood 
feels  much  gratified  by  the  edifice. 

"  My  father  has  been  very  ill,  and  is  dying.  He  sufPers 
much.  He  very  rarely  speaks,  but  often  quotes  Inrgely 
from  the  Scriptures  in  Hebrew  and  English.  Mr.  Konig, 
the  missionary,  gives  me  a  very  satisfactory  account  of  his 
state  of  mind.  His  hope  rests  on  the  truth  set  forth  in 
Isaiah  liii.     It  is  a  very  great  trial  to  me  to  be  so  far  away," 

The  following  extracts  are  from  letters  written 
dnrino-    liis    Greenwich    ministry    to    one    of    his 


LRTTKUH    TO   LADY   KIXLOCH.  1  ^7 


most  devoted  friends — Lady  Kinloch — a  very  dear 
friend  to  the  close  of  his  life.  He  writes  on 
October  2,  1862  :— 

"The  Exhibition  brought  us  such  a  crowd  of  visitors, 
which  is  very  pleasant,  but  breaks  sadly  on  one's  time. 
Nothing  is  doing  about  the  church,  and  I  have  given  up 
thinking  about  it,  but  mean  to  wait  quietly  till  something 
more  definite  occurs."  (This  refers  to  the  enlarging  of  the 
church,  which  had  now  become  absolutely  necessary.)  "How 
easy  it  is  to  approve  of  humility,  and  how  difficult  to  be 
thankful  for  trials  and  crossings  of  will ! 

"  To  trust  in  Jesus  only,  and  seek  His  approbation  only, 
is  a  very  hard  thing,  although  it  ought  to  be  the  very 
easiest  and  sweetest  thing  of  all.  This  strikes  me  most  in 
the  life  of  Christ,  that  the  Father  was  all  in  all  to  Him, 
how  that  man's  help  or  praise  could  not  affect  Him,  and 
yet  what  true  meekness  and  considerateness  towards  men  ! 

"  This  leads  me  to  your  remarks  on  dear  Irving.  He  was 
a  great  theologian,  and  felt  that  the  Humanity  of  Christ 
was  a  topic  sadly  neglected.  He  had  greater  ideas,  and  in 
more  abundant  number,  than  he  was  able  to  master  and 
arrange,  and  he  fell  naturally  into  many  crudities  and  con- 
tradictions. But  what  a  true,  loving,  Christ-like  man  and 
minister  he  must  have  been,  when  even  the  dry  scholastics 
could  not  help  loving  him,  and  acknowledging  in  him  the 
power  of  Christ !  Many  of  his  expressions  on  the  humanity 
of  Christ  I  think  most  unwarranted  and  unnecessary  even 
for  his  own  purpose.  There  was  no  sinful  tendency  even 
in  the  flesh  of  Christ;  He  could  be  tried,  and  Satan  wanted, 
but  in  vain,  to  make  this  trial  a  temptation.  Yet  Jesus 
suffered  in  all  this ;    it  was  a  real  and  fearful  conflict. 

"To  my  mind  we  hear  not  enough  about  God  in  Christ. 
There  is  something  Unitarian  in  even  our  orthodox  teaching. 
The  sum  and  substance  of  truth  and  consolation  to  my  mind 
is,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  God,  and  Eternal  Life  (1  John 


148  THE   GOD-MAN. 


V.  20).  How  dim  are  all  our  ideas  of  God,  until  we  realize 
a  Man,  with  the  print  of  the  nails  in  His  hands,  on  the 
heavenly  throne ;  and  how  distant  is  God  from  our  daily 
life  till  we  see  Him  living  on  earth  as  Jesus  !  I  met  a  very 
striking  expression,  the  other  day,  in  a  German  Prayer-book  : 
'  0  Jesu,  lass  mir  deinen  ganzen  Wandel  auf  Erden  vor  Augen 
stehen,  dass  ich  mich  immer  darin  erneuere,'  which  may  be 
paraphrased :  The  toute  ensemble,  or,  as  the  Germans  say, 
Gesammteindruck  of  the  Life  of  Jesus  to  be  constantly  in 
us,  and  before  us.  We  would  certainly  have  less  discussions 
of  words  or  forms  of  doctrine,  were  our  thoughts  more  centred 
on  Christ  personally,  on  pleasing  and  enjoying  Him.  While 
I  write  this,  I  feel  most  painfully  the  very  lack  of  what  I 
approve.  What  a  wonderful  gift  is  prayer  ! — but  I  must 
confess  that  I  have  not  received  it  as  I  see  it  in  Scripture 
and  the  lives  of  many  Christians.  It  is  a  very  great  con- 
solation to  me  to  think  of  friends  who  pray  for  me.  A 
minister  now-a-days  is  viewed  too  little  as  an  individual,  and 
too  much  as  invested  with  an  office.  When  you  remember 
me  in  your  prayer,  will  you  pray  that  God  may  give  me 
sincerity,  and  faith,  and  a  hatred  of  sin,  and  love  to  Himself, 
and  to  the  souls  of  men  ? 

"I  have  been  thinking  much  lately  of  children,  and  par- 
ticularly the  children  of  Christians.  Jesus  taking  up  little 
children  and  blessing  them,  is  a  great  and  significant  fact. 
It  requires  great  wisdom  to  be  both  zealous  and  patient,  to 
sow  the  good  seed,  and  yet  not  to  force  growth.  But  I 
suppose  love  is  a  good  guide.  May  you  have  the  joy  of 
seeing  all  your  children'  in  Christ's  fold,  and  all  that  are 
dear  to  you !  .   .   . 

"  Campbell  of  Row  is,  I  believe,  a  very  earnest  Christian. 
His  theory,  I  think,  is  not  scriptural.  He  maintains  that 
all  are  pardoned,  and  their  future  destiny  depends  on  their 
accepting  or  rejecting  the  pardon.  Did  you  notice  a  paper 
in  Blackioood — a  sermon  ?  The  writer  groans  for  a  liturgy. 
I  am  reading  Macleod's  Old  Lieutenant.  It  is  beautiful,  and 
I  think  will  be  very  useful  to  sailors.  It  is  by  no  means 
Calvinistic,  but  this  is  more  implied  ;  on  the  whole  it  is  very 
good,  and  truly  Christian," 


THE  LOVE   OE   GOD.  U9 


In  another  letter  to  the  same  lady,  he  says  : — 

"  Loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies  form  the  crown  which 
in  this  present  life  the  Father  gives  us.  Psalm  ciii.  seems 
to  me  the  most  perfect  expression  of  a  Christian's  heart, 
praising  and  trusting  God,  the  Eedeemer ;  remembering  sins 
and  weaknesses,  and  yet  rejoicing  in  a  merciful  and  com- 
passionate Father." 

In  a  letter  written  at  the  beginning  of  a  new  year, 
1865,  he  says  : — 

"  I  hope  that  this  year  will  bring  you  much  blessing  and 
sunshine.  May  you  see  daily  more  of  the  love  of  God,  and 
of  Christ  the  gift  of  His  love !  Whenever  I  want  to  get 
into  a  region  of  light  and  peace,  and  out  of  the  mists  of 
gloom  that  so  often  arise,  I  think  of  the  love  the  Father 
has  to  Christ,  as  our  Eedeemer  and  High  Priest,  and  try  to 
realize  that  it  is  the  same  love  He  has  to  us.  We  could 
scarcely  believe  it  were  we  not  assured  of  it  so  expressly 
in  the  Word  of  God ;  but  once  having  seen  and  believed  it, 
we  cannot  rest  in  anything  short  of  this,  'accepted  in  the 
beloved ! '  You  will  enjoy,  I  think,  John's  description  of 
Christian  experience.  How  uniform  it  is  in  its  main  features, 
and  how  completely  John  the  Baptist  expresses  it  when  he 
says,  '  Christ  must  increase,  but  he  himself  decrease  ! '  And 
yet  this  is  growing  and  enjoying  life  abundantly. 

"  I  trust  you  are  feeling  independent  of  everything  in  the 
spiritual  life,  except  the  Lord  and  His  Word.  The  Father 
and  the  Son  have  promised  to  come  to  us,  and  make  their 
abode  with  us.  We  need  not  go  any  distance  to  any  well, 
but  have  the  water  of  life  in  our  souls.  I  think  of  most  of 
the  personal  witnesses,  as  Paul,  John,  David,  Luther,  and  try 
to  see  the  grace  of  God  in  them,  and  the  glory  of  God  in 
their  infirmities  as  well  as  their  strength.  I  try  to  think 
of  Paul  as  a  man,  fighting  with  sin,  unbelief,  gloom,  and 
the  whole  old  man,  and  seeing  no  other  righteousness  and 
life  but  Christ. 

''The  common  way  of   hero  worship,   and  gazing  at  mere 


150  SKETCH   OF  SAPHIR'S    WORK. 

meu  as  stars,  is  utterly  false  and  unpractical;  it  does  not 
glorify  God  in  them,  and  it  does  not  help  us.  But  when 
we  see  God's  grace  in  them,  they  are  so  full  of  encouragement 
and  comfort,  for  they  point  us  plainly  to  Christ.  May  we 
have  such  peace  and  joy  in  believing,  in  learning  Christ,  and 
may  our  constant  desire  be  to  know  Him  I 

"  I  send  you  the  Congregational  Report  for  this  year,  from 
which  you  will  see  that  God  has  been  with  us.  I  am  looking 
forward  hopefully  to  the  future.  I  have  been  very  anxious 
to  have  thiugs  placed  on  a  true  and  Scriptural  basis,  and 
God  has  helped  me  wonderfully.  The  Christians  in  the 
congregation  are,  T  think,  growing  in  knowledge  and  love, 
and  the  others  are  beginning  to  feel  that  there  is  a  reality 
in  the  truth  and  life  of  Christ.  I  have  been  explaining  on 
the  Sunday  mornings  the  Tabernacle,  and  in  the  evenings 
the  Gospel  of  Johu.  I  love  both  subjects  dearly,  and  I  am 
thankful  that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  new  to  me  every 
Lord's  Day.  Many  friends  must  be  praying  for  me.  Some 
of  our  people  have  fixed  Saturday  evening  from  eight  to 
nine  for  special  prayer.  It  is  a  great  help  to  me,  and  endears 
them  very  much  to  my  heart.  We  have  a  colporteur  among 
the  Jews  in  Pesth,  who  has  much  intercourse  with  Jews 
specially  from  the  country." 

In  a  letter  written  ii]  the  following  year,  1866, 
lie  gives  a  bright  sketch  of  his  work  : — 

"  I  have  had  so  many  meetings  lately,  that  I  feel  my 
brain  quite  exhausted,  if  ever  there  was  anything  in  it. 
But  it  is  so  difficult  to  keep  quiet  in  this  place.  I  am  much 
encouraged  however  in  my  work.  I  have  a  class  for  children 
every  Wednesday  afternoon.  I  hold  it  in  the  church,  as 
about  350  little  folk  attend,  and  some  grown-up  jjeople 
besides.  The  children  seem  to  enjoy  it  ver}^  much,  and  look 
very  bright.  I  tell  them  the  contents  of  a  chapter  (I  am 
going  through  Genesis),  explaining  and  illustrating  it,  and 
asking  them  questions.  They  are  very  lively,  and  answer 
well.  It  is  my  pet  just  now ;  I  find  the  children  have  less 
difficulty  in  understanding  the  truth  than  the  grown-up 
people. 


Ills   BIBLE  READINGS.  151 


"  We  have  now  a  missionary  in  our  district.  He  was 
recotnmended  by  Horatius  Bonar,  and  he  is  a  very  enlightened 
and  wise  man.  Our  boys'  evening  classes  are  attended  by 
sixty  roughs,  and  the  ^Sunday  evening  service  in  the  school- 
room by  about  eighty  to  a  hundred  people.  Our  Young 
Men's  Association  too  is  promising  well.  This  week  they 
have  a  Conversational  Meeting  on  the  Second  Advent,  which 
I  conduct.  This  evening  our  London  Association  have  their 
annual  meeting.  They  ai-e  doing  much  for  the  poor  in  our 
district,  and  we  have  made  good  progress,  as  far  as  work  is 
concerned.  Oh,  for  more  of  God's  Light  and  Love  ! — the 
time  seems  so  short  and  the  work  so  great.  There  is  little 
spiritual  interest  among  the  people  of  this  neighbourhood. 
Among  the  believers  there  is  much  life ;  last  year  has  been 
a  very  blessed  one,  also  in  bringing  in  souls  through  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel. 

"I  have  been  led  lately  to  dwell  much  on  the  gospel  as 
good  news  to  man,  coming  to  him  wherever  he  is,  and  bringing 
salvation  with  it — just  as  the  good  Samaritan  came  alone 
to  the  sick  man  and  lifted  him  up.  I  fear  I  have  not  suffi- 
ciently brought  out  in  my  preaching  that  it  is  'good  news,' 
a,  joyous  sound.  The  open  arms  of  the  Father  ought  to  be 
continually  pointed  out,  and  the  Door  open,  explained.  For 
many  people  imagine  that  they  have  not  got  the  religious 
temperament,  &c.,  and  that  they  are  different  from  believers 
whom  they  admire  and  approve.  We  cannot  speak  to  them 
too  affectionately,  and  also  in  too  great  a  variety  of  ways. 

"I  am  giving  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  study  of  the 
Bible.  I  am  anxious  to  show  how  necessary  and  practicable 
it  is  to  read  the  ichoh  Bible.  I  believe  my  people  would  like 
to  do  so,  but  feel  despondent,  as  to  managing  it.  The  state 
of  the  church  is  very  much  to  be  attributed  to  not  reading 
Scriptui-e,  more  copiously  and  connectedly.  I  intend  next 
year,  if  it  please  God,  to  have  on  Wednesday  evenings, 
instead  of  a  lecture,  simply  Bible  readings,  taking  eight  or 
ten  chapters,  and  adding  a  few  remarks  as  to  their  scope, 
coriuection,  and  only  explaining  what  is  absolutely  necessary. 
I  hope  thus  to  get  through  a  very  large  portion  of  Scriptui-e 
in  the  year.*' 


152  JOY  IN   HIS    WORK. 

These  letters  give  glimpses  into  his  inner  and 
outer  life — showing  his  joy  in  his  ministry — his 
genuine  humility  and  sensitiveness,  and  his  fertility 
of  resources  in  the  carrying  on  of  his  work. 

Of  this  time,  the  Eev.  J.  Basden,  Congregational 
minister  of  Dedham,  Essex,  writes  : — 

"My  father,  Mr.  E.  W.  A.  Basden,  was  an  elder 
of  St.  Mark's,  Greenwich,  when  Dr.  Saphir  was 
the  minister  there,  and  I,  as  a  boy,  regarded  no 
school  grief  unendurable,  considering  I  should  hear 
Saphir  on  Sunday.  ...  To  Dr.  Saphir  I  owe 
the  deepest  and  greatest  spiritual  influence  of  my 
life,  and  have  no  ambition  other  than  to  preach 
Christ  and  the  Scriptures,  as  he  expounded  them  to 
me.  As  to  my  father,  the  Bible  and  '  Saphir '  arc 
his  two  books." 

These  early  years  at  Greenwich  were,  we  believe, 
among  the  happiest  years  of  his  life.  Afterwards, 
his  health,  which  had  never  been  robust,  began  to 
fail,  and  he  scarcely  ever  again  enjoyed  the  same 
physical  strength  and  vigour. 


153 


CHAPTER  XV. 

LITERARY    ACTIVITY. 

His  Literary  Tastes  and  Power — Wide  Knowledge  of  Liter- 
ature, German  and  English — Contributes  to  Good  Words — 
Notes  of  Various  Contributions  and  Extracts — Tour  in 
Germany  with  the  Macleods  aud  Stevenson — His  Tracts 
— The  Golden  A  B  G  of  the  Jews^  &c. 

IN  1860,  the  magazine  Good  Woixls,  under  the 
editorship  of  the  well-known  Dr.  Norman 
Macleod,  had  suddenly  obtained  a  marvellous 
popularity.  Dr.  Macleod,  who  had  long  known 
Saphir,  and,  as  we  have  noted,  befriended  him  in 
Glasgow,  asked  him  to  write  for  his  journal.  The 
publishers  of  Good  Words  were  also  members  of 
his  congregation. 

He  became  a  frequent  contributor.  His  first 
article  was  written  early  in  1861,  just  about  the 
time  of  his  going  to  Greenwich.  It  was  entitled 
'  The  Light  of  the  World.'  Life,  Love,  and  Light 
are  inseparably  connected.  Speaking  of  the  testi- 
mony of  John  the  Apostle  to  Jesus,  as  the  Light 
of  the  World,  he  says  : — 

''  Who  knew  Him  best  when  He  was  on  earth  ? 


154  THE  'LIGHT   OF  THE    WORLD: 

Who  was  His  most  beloved  friend,  His  most 
favoured  disciple,  the  nearest  and  dearest  to  His 
heart?  The  Apostle  John.  Is  it  not  a  significant 
fact,  that  the  mnn  who  was  most  intimately 
acquainted  with  Christ's  humanity,  gives  the  clearest 
and  most  em[)hatic  testimony  concerning  His 
divinity, — that  John,  who  leaned  on  His  bosom, 
who  had  the  deepest  insight  into  the  life,  thoughts, 
and  feelings,  who  enjoyed  the  largest  share  of  the 
confidence  and  affection  of  the  Man  Christ  Jesus, 
never  loses  sight  for  a  moment,  in  all  his  writings, 
of  the  Godhead  of  the  Saviour.  The  more  w^e 
examine  His  history,  the  more  are  we  convinced 
that  He  has  the  words  of  eternal  life,  that  He 
is  that  Anointed  One,  the  Son  of  the  living  God." 
Speaking  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Light  of  the 
World,  he  proceeds  : — "Former  revelations  of  God 
were  like  flashes  of  lightning,  like  passing  visitant 
rays,  like  the  reflected  light  of  the  moon ;  here  is 
the  sun  in  mid-day  splendour,  and  yet  its  bright- 
ness is  full  of  healing,  so  that  men  can  endure  it. 
We  see  God,  and  yet  we  do  not  die,  but  live.  .  .  . 
Christ  reveals  God  in  His  words  and  in  His  w^orks. 
In  Him  as  the  Light,  everything  is  simple,  un- 
divided, and  perfectly  harmonious.  His  words 
and  works  are  but  a  manifestation  of  His  person. 
When  He  taught,  and  performed  His  works.  He 
never  for  a  moment  interrupted  His  fellowship 
with  the  Father:  as  the  sun  giving  light  to  the 
lowliest  flow^er  in  the  valley,  leaves  not  his  ap- 
pointed path  on  high,  and   as  a  sunbeam  passes 


A    CONTRIBUTION  TO   'GOOD    WORDS.'      155 

undefiled  through  the  vilest  pollution,  Jesus,  while 
teaching,  healing,  working,  even  when  surrounded 
by  the  guiltiest  and  most  God-estranged,  was 
always  in  heaven." 

He  shows  that  Jesus  is  the  Light  of  the  World 
as  to  His  teaching.  His  teaching  is  intelligible 
to  all — to  Nicodemus  as  well  as  the  woman  of 
Samaria  and  the  fishermen  of  Galilee ;  to  use  the 
words  of  Celsus,  '•'  to  woollen  manufacturers,  shoe- 
makers and  curriers,  the  most  uneducated  and 
boorish  of  men,  as  well  as  to  the  great  and  learned." 

After  showing  that  He  also  is  the  Light  of  the 
World  in  the  perfection  of  His  character,  he  con- 
siders the  various  qualities  of  light,  as  self-commu- 
nicative, free,  seen  by  itself,  calm  yet  strong,  joyful, 
and  he  applies  these  characteristics  of  Light  with 
telling  power  to  Christ. 

Some  of  Saphir's  smaller  contributions  to  Good 
Woi'ds  were  especially  for  children.  Li  the  letters 
we  have  given  he  speaks  of  his  largely  attended 
children's  services,  and  the  following  '  Parables,' 
which  appeared  in  1861,  enable  us  to  understand 
the  secret  of  his  success  in  this  interesting  sphere 
of  his  ministry. 


I. — THE    KEY   AND    THE    PRISONERS. 

"  There  was  once  a  kino-  whose  sons,  owino'  to 
their  folly,  lost  their  liberty,  and  lingered  in  prison 
in  a  foreign  land.  Their  fother's  heart  could  not 
know  them  to  be  in  such  need  without  determining 


156  '  THE  KEY  AND   THE  PRISONERS: 

to  deliver  them.  He  rose  up  and  went  into  the 
far  land,  and  after  he  had  bound  the  jailer  hand 
and  foot,  he  threw  the  key  through  the  grating 
and  said  :  '  Dear  children,  open  the  door  and  return 
home  with  me.  I  will  pardon  all,  and  forgive  your 
folly  and  disobedience.'  But  it  was  a  cold  winter's 
morning,  and  the  snow  was  falling.  The  sons  sat 
down,  looked  at  the  key,  and  talked  of  its  size, 
its  form,  and  of  the  skill  of  the  locksmith's  craft. 
Some  praised  a  state  of  freedom  as  the  noblest, 
and  certainly  the  most  indispensable  gift.  They 
talked  of  the  joy  and  pleasantness  of  the  father's 
house.  Then  the  father  cried :  '  The  key  is  to 
open  the  dooi%  you  have  no  time  to  lose.'  But 
they  remained  there  looking  at  the  key,  and  talking 
about  it ;  and  some  of  them,  putting  on  a  very 
wise  face,  supposed  it  could  not  possibly  fit ; 
it  must  be  too  small,  and  something  must  be  filed 
off  the  wards  on  one  side,  and  something  must  be 
added  on  the  other.  It  was  done ;  but  behold  the 
key  would  no  longer  fit !  But  they  cried  :  '  Now 
indeed  we  have  made  a  real  genuine  fine  key ! 
How  we  have  perfected  it !  Truly  we  are  even  more 
skilful  than  the  original  locksmith  !  What  would 
his  work  have  been  without  our  improvement ! ' 
But  the  key  would  not  fit,  and  the  gate  remained 
shut.  Then  the  father  spoke,  and  tears  filled  his 
eyes  :  *  You  don't  wish  to  return  !  You  love  me  not, 
and  would  rather  remain  in  prison  than  obey  me  I ' 
They  answered  :  ^  Nothing  is  nobler,  nothing  more 
beautiful,    nothing    worthier   of    men,    nothing   is 


CONTRIBUTIONS   TO  'GOOD    WORDS.'         157 

higher  and  holier  than  childlike  love  and  reverence.' 
Then  replied  the  father,  earnestly  and  mournfully  : 
'  If  you  had  truly  loved  me,  you  would  long  since 
have  opened  the  door.' 

"  But  some  of  them  mocked  and  laughed,  and 
said :  *  The  key  is  indeed  no  key  at  all ;  and  why 
should  we  need  one  ?  It  is  very  pleasant  here,  and 
w^e  are  quite  happy.  Besides,  true  freedom  is  not 
to  be  found  at  home  with  our  father.  Are  we  not 
already  free  ? '  " 

"  II. — THE  ARTIST  OR  THE  FATHER. 

"  I  came  into  a  hall,  and  saw  in  it  beautiful 
paintings  and  noble  sculptures,  arranged  in  a 
tasteful  and  suggestive  manner.  And  I  said  to 
myself :  '  The  hand  of  our  artist  has  been  at  work 
here.  How  beautiful  are  the  w^orks  of  his  brush  and 
chisel ! — and  how  beautifully  and  thoughtfully  has 
he  grouped  them  together  ! '  And  I  thought  on  the 
subjects  he  had  chosen,  and  considered  the  details 
of  execution,  and  I  began  to  make  a  picture  in 
my  mind  of  the  artist's  character,  disposition,  and 
cast  of  thous^ht. 

"  And  I  came  into  a  small  room,  and  saw  a  man 
with  his  wife  and  children  sitting  round  a  table. 
And  I  heard  a  little  boy  stammering,  '  Father/  and 
clinging  to  the  man's  breast,  and  the  wife  called 
him  by  his  name,  and  he  was  the  joy  and  the  sun 
of  their  heart. 

"And  I  thought :  '  What  will  it  help  me  to  know 
God  only  as  an  artist,  as  Him  who  made  mountains, 


158       'THE   CATHEDRAL   AND   THE  MOUSE: 

and  the  sea,  fields,  aod  meadows,  if  I  do  not  know 
Him  as  my  Father,  as  my  Husband,  as  Him  who 
protects,  liberates,  guides,  comforts  me,  as  the  sun 
of  my  heart  and  my  portion  for  ever  ? ' 

"  And  I  thought  that  for  this  reason  Christ  came, 
that  we  should  no  longer  yearn  after  an  unknown 
God,  but  pray  to  and  live  with  our  Father." 

"  III. — THE  CATHEDRAL  AND  THE  MOUSE. 

"  In  the  quiet  twilight  I  stept  into  a  great  and 
glorious  cathedral ;  and  I  looked  at  the  wonderful 
pillars,  striving  upwards  to  heaven,  and  my  soul 
was  lifted  up  to  God.  And  I  heard  a  rustling  and 
nibbling  noise,  and  saw  a  mouse  running  anxiously 
and  greedily  after  some  crumbs,  that  it  might  eat 
them.  It  sees  not  the  beauty  of  the  house  in  which 
it  lives,  it  knows  not  to  whose  honour  it  is  built, 
it  has  no  eye  for  the  bold  structure  of  its  roof. 

*'  And  thou,  0  man,  be  not  such  a  grey,  hungry, 
greedy  mouse  in  the  grand  cathedral  of  this  world 
in  which  thou  livest,  and  which  proclaims  the 
glory  of  God." 

One  of  his  addresses  to  children  was  based  on 
the  words  entitled,  The  Four  Little  Preachers. 
"*  There  be  four  things  which  are  little  upon  the 
earth,  but  they  are  exceeding  wise.  The  ants  are 
a  people  not  strong,  yet  they  prepare  their  meat  in 
the  summer ;  the  conies  are  but  a  feeble  folk,  yet 
make  they  their  houses  in  the  rocks  ;  the  locusts 
have  no  king,  yet  go  they  forth  all  of  them  by 


'THE  FOUR  LITTLE  PREACHERS:  159 

bands ;  the  spicier  taketh  hold  with  her  hands, 
and  is  in  kings'  palaces ' " — and  the  following  out- 
line shows  the  lessons  he  drew  from  them  : — "  The 
ants  taught  to  do  in  summer  what  cannot  be 
done  in  winter,  to  be  diligent  in  youth,  and  to 
prepare  for  the  coming  winter.  How  are  we  to 
labour  for  the  meat  which  endureth  for  ever  ? 
Jesus  tells  us.  Just  as  the  people  sitting  on  the 
grass  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  take  the  bread  and 
eat  it,  so  if  our  hearts  hunger  and  thirst  after  God's 
forgiveness  and  love,  we  have  nothing  to  do  but  to 
trust  in  Jesus.  Jesus  is  the  bread  of  life.  But  if 
Jesus  is  the  bread  of  life,  He  will  show  us  how  to 
prepare  our  meat  in  summer,  that  is,  while  our 
earthly  life  lasts  ;  and  then  we  shall  enjoy  in  tlie  life 
to  come  what  we  have  laid  up,  not  in  winter,  for 
that  life  will  be  much  sunnier  and  brighter  than 
any  earthly  summer. 

"  AVhat  does  the  coney  teach  us  ?  We  also 
require  a  house,  in  which  we  can  dwell  safely 
here  and  hereafter.  This  house  must  be  built 
on  a  rock,  where  the  conies  make  their  houses. 
They  are  safe,  not  because  they  are  strong,  but 
because  the  rock  is  strong."  This  he  applied  to 
building  on  Christ.  Then  as  to  the  locusts.  What 
did  they  accomplish  by  numbers  and  unity  ?  And 
as  to  the  spider,  what  did  his  perseverance  do  ? 
He  never  rested  till  he  got  his  web  firmly  placed, 
and  nothing  could  daunt  him,  and  from  no  place, 
even  the  palace  of  the  king,  could  he  be  excluded. 
Here  he  impressed  the    duty  of  perseverance,   in 


160  THE  STORY  OF  '  NANNERL' 

prayer,  in  forgiveness,  in  love,  and  then  the  great 
reward  that  awaits  all  who  rest  not  till  they  enter 
the  Kingdom. 

He  also  wrote  the  following  short  tale,  which 
appeared  in  the  same  journal  in  1862  : — 

HER   MAJESTY,    NANNERL,    THE   WASHERWOMAN. 

In  a  little  village  on  the  banks  of  the  Neckar, 
in  South  Germany,  lived  Hans  Kitter,  master 
tailor,  with  his  wife  Else.  He  was  not  wealthy, 
but  free  from  oppressive  care ;  he  v/orked  from 
early  morning  till  late  at  night,  lived  frugally, 
sent  his  children  to  school,  and  had  always  a 
dollar  at  Christmas  to  buy  some  toys,  and  to  erect 
a  Christmas  tree  for  the  little  ones.  On  Sundays 
he  put  on  his  confirmation  coat,  the  identical  coat 
in  which  he  had  been  confirmed,  and  his  beaver 
hat.  Else  wore  the  cap  with  the  yellow  trimming, 
the  handkerchief  with  the  blue  border,  and  carried 
her  gilt  hymn-book.  But  who  in  all  the  village 
looked  so  devout  and  happy  as  Nannerl,  their 
eldest  daughter  ?  She  was  about  fourteen  years 
old,  and  very  tall  for  her  age.  She  wore  always  a 
white  gown  on  Sundays ;  and  her  blue  neckerchief, 
a  gift  from  old  grandmamma,  looked  quite  new, 
althoui^h  it  was  nearlv  as  old  as  herself.  But  what 
could  look  old  or  grow  shabby  that  was  worn  by 
her,  and  folded  up  by  her,  and  locked  up  by  her  ? 
Look   at    her   walking    slowly    and    cheerfully    to 


CONTRIBUTED   TO   '  CWOD    WORDS:  161 

church  with  the  younger  chiklrcD,  who  cling  to 
her  fondly,  and  if  you  do  not  bless  her  in  your 
heart,  I  am  afraid  you  forgot  your  prayers  this 
morning. 

Nanneri  was  a  good  girl,  fond  of  nice  dress 
and  of  a  village  dance,  it  is  true,  and  I  do  not  wish 
to  deny  it.  The  youths  in  the  village  liked  her 
much  ;  Conrad  Hogel,  old  Heinrich  the  carpenter's 
son,  more  than  any  one.  Conrad  was  a  very 
handsome  and  kind-hearted  youth ;  he  sang  very 
well,  and  as  to  steadiness  and  diligence,  none  could 
excel  him. 

Conrad  fell  in  love  with  Nanneri,  and  Nanneri 
fell  in  love  with  Conrad,  I  don't  know  when  and 
how ;  for  I  know  it  only  from  Nanneri  herself, 
and  this  is  her  account :  ''  Conrad  often  came  to 
my  father's  in  the  evening  after  work  was  over, 
and  we  all  walked  out  together  into  the  wood,  and 
on  Sunday  afternoons  to  the  garden.  He  had  such 
an  honest  face,  and  was  so  cheerful  and  merry,  and 
had  such  fine  songs,  that  nobody  could  help  liking 
him.  I  was  very  happy  when  Conrad  was  with 
us,  and  from  my  childhood  never  imagined  that  I 
could  live  without  him ;  and  after  my  confirmation, 
one  evening  I  went  into  our  little  front  garden  to 
get  some  gooseberries  for  grandmamma,  who  was 
very  old,  and  lived  with  us.  I  went  out ;  it  was  on 
a  Thursday  evening,  and  there  Conrad  was  behind 
me.  I  said,  'Good-evening,  Conrad.'  He  said 
nothing.  So  I  did  not  mind  him,  but  went  to  the 
gooseberries.     But  he  came  after  me,  and  told  me 


162  THE  STORY   OF  '  NANNERL' 

that  he  was  to  be  made  master  carpenter  next 
week,  and  go  into  a  new  house  next  term.  I  said, 
'  I  am  very  glad.'  He  asked  me,  '  Are  you  really  ? ' 
I  answered,  '  Yes  indeed.'  Upon  this,  he  fell  on  my 
neck,  and  kissed  me,  and  said,  '  Nannerl,  you  must 
come  and  be  my  little  wife  in  the  new  house.'  So 
Conrad  went  to  speak  to  my  father,  and  he  said  : 
'  When  I  married  Else  I  was  a  poor  man,  and  had 
nothing  but  my  trade.  You  are  an  honest 
Christian  and  workman,  and  if  Nannerl  loves  you, 
I  give  you  my  blessing.'  This  was  on  Thursday 
night,  a  fortnight  before  grandmamma  died." 

And  so  Nannerl  married  Conrad,  and  they 
lived  together  happily  for  some  years.  They  had 
sufficient  to  support  themselves,  although  some 
trouble  and  care  occasionally  to  get  money  for 
wood  and  winter  clothes;  but  they  got  through, 
and  had  health,  good  summer  weather,  fine  walks 
in  the  fields,  beautiful  flowers,  mountains  and 
glens,  ice-skating  in  winter,  gratis;  and  this  is 
frequently  one  of  the  differences  between  poor  and 
rich  people ;  the  poor  are  not  too  proud,  and  enjoy 
these  gratis  things — health,  water,  walks,  &c. 

Quiet  little  village  ! — quiet  peaceful  family ! — 
no  change,  no  event !  Conrad's  mother  dies,  and 
Nannerl  goes  next  spring  to  look  at  the  flowers  on 
her  grave.  Nannerl  has  a  son,  and  all  the  Ritters 
and  Hogels  are  at  the  christening ;  and  Nannerl, 
in  the  white  dress,  is  as  beautiful  as  ever.  There 
is  great  happiness  in  the  little  room,  in  the  centre 
of  which  is  a  very  large  fine  cake,  so  suggestive 


CONTRIBUTED   TO  'GOOD    WORDS.'  163 


that  every  one  lias  some  remark  to  make,  and 
something  to  jDraise.  Quietly  they  live  on,  no 
event,  no  change  ! — till  one  day  the  cry  is  heard, 
"  War  !  war  !  Napoleon  !  "  Poor  Conrad  becomes 
a  soldier.  Nannerl's  tears  flow  fast.  Little  Carl, 
dear  tiny  baby,  plays  with  papa's  czako,  and  is 
delighted  with  it.  "  Was  blasen  die  Trompeten  ? 
Hussaren  heraiis  ! " 

There  is  old  Hans,  with  a  serious  face,  giving 
advice  to  his  son-in-law  ;  there  is  Else  trying  to 
comfort  her  daughter,  but  weeping  herself ;  there  is 
Conrad's  sister  in  a  corner,  packing  his  little  knap- 
sack silently  ;  there  is  Nannerl  beseeching  him  to 
stay.     But  the  drum,  the  drum,  it  calleth  so  loud  ! 

Thou  art  right,  Conrad,  and  a  true-hearted 
German.  Not  pou7^  la  gloire  goest  thou  out  to 
fight.  No,  much-to-be-respected  master  carpenter, 
it  never  entered  thy  head ;  but  as  thou  thyself 
sayest :  ''  This  land  is  German  land,  and  the  king's  ; 
this  is  God's  right,  and  so  we  will  show  to  all  who 
want  to  take  it  from  us." 

Conrad  returned  in  two  years,  but  not  as  he 
went.  He  had  lost  a  leg,  had  received  several 
wounds,  and  was  so  enfeebled  that  he  could  not 
resume  his  work.  He  found  his  Nannerl  looking 
pale,  and  not  in  the  white  gown,  but  in  black. 
Hans  and  Else  are  both  dead. 

"Conrad,"  says  Nannerl,  "I  have  suffered  so 
much  since  you  have  been  away.  I  dreamt  almost 
every  night  you  were  dead.  Then  my  father 
became  ill  and  died,  and,  a  month  after,   mother 


164  THE  STORY   OF  '  NANNERL' 

Else  followed  liim.  Conrad,  they  spoke  of  you, 
and  prayed  for  you.  Mother  died  so  calmly  !  I  was 
putting  her  pillows  right.  She  looked  so  pale,  and 
her  eyes  so  dim  !  She  put  up  her  hands  to  her 
forehead — she  had  such  pain  there  ! — and  said, 
'  Not  so  tight ;  they  are  putting  on  a  golden 
crown,  as  Pastor  said  they  would  ;  but  not  so 
tight ! '  She  said  also  the  *  Our  Father '  twice, 
and  asked  for  you." 

Nannerl  had  been  always  dear  and  kind,  yet 
Conrad  thought  her  never  so  kind  and  dear  as  now. 
So  calm,  and  cheerful,  and  busy,  she  did  everything 
for  everybody ;  no  one  could  help  loving  and 
honouring  her.  But  Nannerl  with  the  children 
was  the  loveliest  sight — how  she  taught  them 
hymns,  and  told  them  stories,  when  the  girls  were 
knitting  and  the  boys  working !  Nannerl,  what 
change  has  come  over  you  ?  Never  in  low  spirits 
as  before,  no  murmuring  and  fretting ;  but  so 
loving,  calm,  and  active.  Nannerl  had  begun  to 
think  of  the  crown,  of  which  mother  Els^  had 
spoken.  She  had  begun  to  think  of  love — her  love 
to  Conrad,  and  where  she  would  meet  him  in  case 
he  died.  On  the  God's  acre  grow  lovely  flowers  ; 
from  the  thought  of  death  spring  life-giving  long- 
ings. Then  the  old  hymns  and  gospel  verses  of 
her  childhood  awoke  in  Nannerl's  heart.  The  Lord 
Jesus,  who  had  stood  so  close  to  her  all  her  life, 
stood  now  before  her.  She  saw  Him,  and  fell 
down,  and  cried,  ''  Master !  " 

Conrad  had  got  a  small  pension  from  Govern- 


CONTRIBUTED   TO   '  GOOD    WORDS:  IfjS 

ment,  and,  as  lie  could  not  continue  his  trade  in 
the  village,  he  went  to  the  nearest  town,  where  his 
boys  were  received  into  a  Government  school,  till 
they  were  of  age  to  learn  some  business.  Nannerl 
became  a  laundress,  and  earned  as  much  as,  with 
Conrad's  pension,  sufficed  for  their  support.  Early 
in  the  morning  Nannerl  began  her  work.  At  first 
Conrad  looked  pained  to  see  her  undergoing  such 
exertions. 

"  When  I  saw  you  in  the  garden,  Nannerl — " 

"  On  the  Thursday  evening,  wasn't  it  ?  " 

"You  little  thought— I  little  thouo-ht— "  But 
his  voice  failed  him. 

Nannerl  smiled  and  said:  '*The  less  we  think 
the  better  ;  the  blessed  God  thinks  it  all  for  us." 
And  so  she  comforted  and  cheered  him.  They 
were  happy  in  their  gratis  joys,  good  conscience, 
and  children's  prattle.  Conrad  was  not  able  to 
walk  much,  but  now  and  then  they  walked  to- 
gether.    Nannerl  was  his  support  and  stay. 

''  Nannerl,"  said  he,  one  evening,  ''  you  are  an 
angel.  How  can  you  be  so  happy  with  such  hard 
work  ?  " 

"Don't  speak  in  this  way.  Look  how  healthy 
our  children  are,  and  what  a  fine  bold  hand  Carl 
writes  ! — he  is  already  at  the  letter  M  ;  and  little 
Nannette  is  going  to  knit  something  for  your 
birthday,  but  I  should  not  tell  you  ;  and  you  are 
with  me,  and  God  is  so  kind  to  us." 

"  Nannerl,  God  be  kind  to  you  and  my  children. 
Teach  them  your  faith." 


166  THE  STORY  OF  'NANNERL' 

'' '  Our  faith,'  say,  Conrad.  Are  not  you  also  a 
Christian  ?  You  should  think  oftener  of  Him  who 
came  to  save  us,  and  of  the  Heaven  he  brought  us." 

But  the  drum,  the  drum,  it  sounds  so  loud. 
Neither  Nannerl's  cries  nor  the  children's  voices 
can  be  heard,  for  the  drum,  the  drum,  it  sounds  so 
loud  ! 

Not  unto  the  battle-field,  but  the  grave. 

Conrad  is  dying.  He  never  loved  Nannerl  so 
much  as  on  his  death- bed.  He  had  never  thought 
so  often  of  Him  who  brought  new  life  and  peace  to 
his  wife's  heart.  "Nannerl,"  he  said,  "I  have  been 
thinkinsf  of  the  crown  of  thorns.  That  crown 
brought  Els^  a  golden  crown,  and  I  also  will  be 
crowned.  God  bless  you  and  our  children.  Teach 
them  our  ftiith." 

Conrad  is  dead.  Nannerl  weeps,  but  she  can 
rejoice.  *'  God  bless  you  and  our  children  !  "  She 
heard  these  w^ords  continually  ;  when  she  awoke  at 
nio^ht,  when  she  arose  in  the  mornincf,  when  the 
Sunday  bells  rang,  when  she  watched  at  their 
bedsides.  And  God  did  bless  her  and  her  children. 
She  was  so  punctual,  diligent,  and  skilful  in  her 
work,  that  she  never  lacked  employment.  Her 
sweet  disposition  and  kindliness  gained  her  many 
friends,  and  not  a  few  were  drawn  to  her  by  a 
deeper  sympathy,  and  recognized  in  her  a  fellow- 
pilgrim  on  the  thorny  path  to  the  crovvn  of  glory. 
Her  boys  grew  up  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God ; 
filling  the  evening  of  her  life  with  peace  and 
serenity. 


CONTRIBUTED   TO   'GOOD    WORDS.'  16: 


When  I  think  of  her,  the  grace  and  dignity  of 
her  manner,  her  sweetness  and  gentleness  to  her 
children,  the  words  of  wisdom  and  love  that  came 
from  her  lips,  her  industry  and  unclouded  cheerful- 
ness,— "Nannerl,  I  think  you  wear  the  crown 
already.  Naunerl,  I  think  you  are  one  of  the 
greatest,  noblest,  human  beings  I  ever  saw. 
Nannerl,  God  dwells  in  your  heart,  God  delights  in 
you." 

I  say.  Her  Majesty  Nannerl  the  washerwoman  ! 
Of  such  queens  consists  heaven. 


In  an  article  on  'The  Childhood  of  Jesus,'  in 
the  same  journal,  the  scenes  were  realized,  as  they 
could  scarcely  be  by  one  not  of  the  Jewish  race. 
The  home  and  development  of  the  child  Jesus  is 
very  real,  and  the  scene  at  the  Temple  in  Jerusalem 
is  vividly  described.  His  picture  of  Mary  is  most 
life-like : — 

Mary  was  a  true  daughter  of  Abraham.  For 
if  Abraham  is  an  eminent  type  of  the  character, 
power,  and  victory  of  faith,  in  that  he  believed  and 
hoped  against  hope,  clinging  with  childlike  trust 
and  humility  to  the  Word  of  the  Most  High,  it  is 
in  vain  we  seek  for  a  more  glorious  manifestation 
of  Abraham's  faith  than  is  present  to  us  in  the 
reply  which  Mary  gave  to  the  angelic  messenger : 
*'  Behold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord :  be  it  unto  me 
according  to  thy  word."  She  is  a  true  daughter  of 
David.     She  possessed  the  royal  spirit  of  adoration 


168  'THE   CHILDHOOD   OF  JESUS.' 

and  joyous  praise ;  and  when  we  hear  her  hymn, 
''.My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord,  and  my  spirit 
hath  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour,"  is  it  not  as  if 
all  the  grand  and  beautiful  chords  of  David's  harp 
were  blended  together  in  still  sublimer  harmony  ? 
— as  if  all  the  Psalms  were  concentrated  in  one 
majestic  and  glorious  Psalm  of  psalms  ?  Mary,  a 
true  daughter  of  Abraham  and  David,  is  the  type 
of  the  poor  in  spirit,  the  meek  and  lowly,  who  are 
rich  and  strong  in  God.  In  Joseph,  Scripture 
teaches  us  to  see  the  just  man  delighting  himself 
in  the  law  of  God,  a  man  perfect  and  upright,  one 
that  feared  God  and  eschewed  evil,  an  Israelite 
indeed,  in  whom  there  is  no  guile.  May  we  not 
say  that  Joseph  represented  the  Old  Testament  in 
its  legal,  Mary  in  its  prophetic,  aspect  ? 

Of  the  influence  of  the  natural  surroundings  of 
the  home  in  Nazareth,  he  says  : — 

Jesus,  with  the  eye  of  love  and  heavenly  purity, 
read  in  the  book  of  Nature,  and  looked  on  men  and 
thino^s  around  Him.  He  considered  the  lilies  of 
the  field,  and  the  fowls  of  the  air ;  He  watched  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  and  the  red  sky  of  the  evening ; 
He  saw  the  sower  going  forth  to  sow,  and  the 
shepherd  leading  his  flock;  He  beheld  the  bride- 
groom in  his  joy,  and  the  widow  in  her  sorrow ;  He 
knew  the  playful  mirth  of  children,  and  the  deal- 
ings of  men  with  their  fellows  ;  He  saw  nature  and 
life,  and  in  all  things  emblems  of  spiritual  realities 
and  heavenly  truths ;  it  became  to  Him  a  treasure 
of  golden  wisdom ;    it  was  to  Him   nourishment 


'  THE   GOLDEN  A   B   CV  169 

and  help  on  His  way  to  the  great  work  which  was 
before  Him. 

Some  of  his  smaller  publications  are  of  special 
interest,  bringing  out,  in  short  space,  a  concen- 
trated fullness  of  instruction,  truth,  and  comfort 
not  often  to  be  found  in  large  volumes.  We 
may  note  one  or  two  of  these.  There  was  The 
Golden  A  B  C  of  the  Jews,  Thoughts  on  Psalm 
CXIX,  which  opens  with  the  following  interesting 
paragraph  : — 

In  calling  the  CXIXth  Psalm  Tlie  Golden 
A  B  C  oj  the  Jews,  Martin  Luther  reminds  us  of 
the  alphabetical  structure,  and  of  the  excellence 
and  preciousness  of  this  portion  of  Scripture.  This 
psalm  is  divided  into  as  many  equal  parts,  each 
consisting  of  eight  verses,  as  there  are  letters  in 
the  Hebrew  alphabet ;  and  the  first  of  all  the 
verses  in  every  one  of  these  parts  commences  with 
the  same  letter.  It  is  probable  that  the  plan  was 
devised  to  assist  the  memory,  especially  in  com- 
positions consisting  of  detached  maxims  or  sen- 
tences. It  may  also  be  conjectured  that  in  the 
instruction  of  children,  which  is  so  frequently  and 
earnestly  urged  in  the  law  of  Moses,  the  alphabet- 
ical arrangement  was  chosen  to  arrest  the  attention 
and  to  aid  the  memory  of  the  young ;  for  this 
psalm  is  a  manual  and  companion  for  life  from 
youth  to  old  age.  He  considered  it  under  different 
headings  in  The  Psalm  Alphabetical  and  Golden. 

He   notes  its    comprehensiveness.      "  The   com- 


170  'THOUGHTS   ON  PSALM   CXIX: 

prehensiveness  of  this  psalm  is  very  striking.  It 
presents  to  us  human  life  in  all  its  aspects.  Every 
age  can  find  here  a  mirror  and  a  sympathizing 
teacher  and  interpreter  of  its  deepest  thoughts.'' 
Under  one  of  the  headings  he  says  :  "  It  is  most 
instructive  to  notice  the  position  assigned  in  this 
psalm  to  the  Word  of  God.  In  the  possession  of 
Scripture  the  Psalmist  feels  independent  of  human 
teachers  and  traditions.  The  Word  brings  him 
into  communion  with  the  mind  of  God.  It  con- 
tains Divine  wisdom  to  enlighten  and  guide,  Divine 
promises  and  consolations  to  uphold  and  gladden, 
and  Divine  precepts  and  statutes,  in  keeping  of 
which  is  great  peace.  It  needs  no  human  interpret- 
ation and  elaborate  comment ;  for  '  the  entrance  of 
thy  Word  giveth  light ;  it  maketli  wise  the  simple.' 
He  who  reads  it  diligently  is  wiser  than  the  teachers 
who  teach  him  in  wisdom,  and  the  ancients  who 
dilute  and  corrupt  the  Word  of  God  Avitli  their 
traditions.  It  is  God's  Word  (as  the  emphatic  and 
constant  '  Thy '  shows),  and  the  soul  knows  this, 
and  rests  on  the  rock  of  Divine  authority,  strength, 
and  love.  In  order  to  know,  love,  and  serve  God  ; 
to  rejoice  in  Him;  to  be  sure  of  our  blessedness; 
to  walk  in  the  narrow  way,  and  to  keep  ourselves 
unspotted  from  the  world — we  need  nothing  but 
God's  Word." 

"  Here  is  the  true  preventative  against  the  leaven 
of  traditionalism  and  of  naturalism. 

"  Unless  we  truly  believe  in  the  supremacy  of 
God's  Word,  unless  we  cleave  to  it  with  all  our 


THE  TRACTATE,  '  WEEP  NOT:  171 


heart  and  mind,  honouring  it  above  all  books  by 
constant  reading  and  meditation,  we  are  in  danger 
of  becoming  the  servants  of  men,  and  of  being  led 
astray  either  by  the  tradition  of  antiquity  or  by 
the  ever-changing  speculations  of  human  reason. 
The  Bible,  and  no  devotional  books,  however  ex- 
cellent, ought  to  be  the  main  reading  of  Christians ; 
the  Bible,  and  not  the  evidence  of  Kevelation,  must 
be  regarded  as  the  great  preservative  against  un- 
belief, and  as  the  Divine  weapon  strong  to  pull  down 
the  fortress  of  unbelief." 

A  little  tractate,  Weep  not,  after  speaking  of  the 
compassion  of  Jesus  as  shown  in  the  raising  of  the 
son  of  the  widow  of  Nain,  proceeds: — "  Look  upon 
Jesus  in  the  light  of  the  Old  Testament  revelation 
of  Jehovah,  and  then  adore  the  compassionate  Jesus 
as  Lord.  Dismiss  the  erroneous  impression  of  the 
severity  and  gloom  of  the  Old  Testament  Scripture, 
as  if  the  inexorable  justice,  the  unapproachable 
majesty,  the  awful  sovereignty  of  God  was  its  ex- 
clusive or  even  predominant  topic.  Do  not  confuse 
the  aspect  of  law,  or  the  dispensation  of  condem- 
nation and  death,  with  the  whole  Old  Testament 
economy,  which  is  the  revelation  of  Jehovah,  pre- 
paring  as  well  as  promising  the  advent  of  Him,  in 
whom  we  behold  and  possess  the  Father.  The  God 
of  Israel  is  full  of  mercy  and  compassion.  He  who 
appeared  unto  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  mani- 
fested Himself,  in  most  familiar,  tender-hearted, 
loving  condescension ;  in  His  love  He  became  God 


172  EXTRACTS  FROM  '  WEEP   NOT.' 

imto  them,  and  called  them  His  friends ;  in  His 
mercy  and  compassion  He  considered  their  weakness, 
their  trials,  and  their  sorrows.  How  human  is  the 
God  of  the  patriarchs  and  the  children  of  the 
covenant ! — as  human  as  the  mem  Christ  Jesus,  the 
centre  of  the  New  Testament  is  divined 

"  How  deeply  Israel  was  imjDressed  with  this 
conviction  of  the  royal  supremacy  of  mercy  in  God, 
we  can  learn  from  the  confession  of  the  prophet 
Jonah.  God  sent  him  to  Nineveh,  that  great  city, 
to  cry  against  it,  '  for  their  wickedness  is  come  up 
before  Me.'  But  Jonah  was  unwilling  to  go,  and 
he  himself  explains  the  chief  reason  of  his  unwilling- 
ness. '  I  pray  Thee,  0  Lord,  was  not  this  my 
saying,  when  1  w^as  yet  in  my  country  ?  Therefore 
I  fled  before  Thee  into  Tarshish  :  for  I  knew  that 
Thou  art  a  gracious  God,  and  merciful,  slow  to 
anger,  and  of  great  kindness,  and  repentest  Thee  of 
the  evil' 

''Jehovah,  merciful  and  compassionate,  He  who 
condescended  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  in 
great  loving-kindness  chose  them  to  be  His  friends  ; 
He  who  had  pity  on  Israel  in  their  bondage,  and 
redeemed  them  out  of  Egypt ;  He  who  led  them 
through  the  wilderness,  and  was  afflicted  in  all  their 
affliction ;  He  came  at  last  in  the  person  of  the 
Divine  Son,  in  Jesus,  and  now  beholds  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  Here  is  a  full  and 
perfect  revelation  of  the  God  of  Israel,  of  that 
tender,  motherly,  intense,  and  inexhaustible  compas- 
sion which  breathes  throughout  the  Old  Testament. 


PROFITABLE   BIBLE  READING.  173 


Here  is  another  explanation  of  the  Old  Testament 
anthropomorphism  :  God  became  man  ;  and  man, 
originally  created  in  the  image  of  God,  is  redeemed 
by  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  God  above  all, 
blessed  for  ever." 

In  one  of  his  Tracts,  the  following  passage  on 
'The  profitable  reading  of  the  Bible'  occurs: — 
We  do  not  read  the  Bible  sufficiently  in  a  con- 
nected way.  Every  verse  and  expression,  no  doubt, 
is  of  importance,  and  may  furnish  food  for  thought 
and  prayer.  But  we  ought  to  read  a  discourse 
of  Christ,  or  an  Epistle  of  Paul,  with  the  endeavour 
to  seize  the  meaning,  aim,  and  sense  of  the  whole. 
In  this  sense  we  ought  to  treat  the  Bible  like  any 
other  book,  reading  it  with  intelligent  interest. 
Without  the  Spirit  of  God  we  cannot  discern 
spiritual  things.  But  reverential  reading  of  the 
Bible  must  include  the  lower  attitude  of  attention, 
exertion  of  mind,  and  earnestness.  Take  for 
instance  the  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Philippians. 
When  and  where  was  it  written  ?  What  do  we 
know^  of  the  Church  of  Philippi  ?  What  state  of 
mind  does  it  reveal  in  the  Apostles  ?  Eead  the 
whole  as  a  whole.  What  is  its  aim?  Then  you 
will  learn,  and  feel,  and,  breathing  a  pure  atmo- 
sphere, be  refreshed  and  strengthened.  This  correct 
reading  of  Scripture  ought  to  go  hand-in-hand, 
daily,  with  a  more  minute  examination  of  a  few 
verses.  A  single  Scripture  expression  may  bring 
light,  peace,  and  guidance. 


174  TOUR    UP   THE  RHINE. 

The  reading  of  Scripture  cannot  be  urged  too 
much,  but  it  may  be  urged  vaguely.  The  Spirit 
is  promised,  but  one  result  of  the  Spirit's  influence 
is  an  honest  application  of  the  mind  to  the  Bible. 
If  we  read  in  a  kind  of  m.ental  paralysis,  with 
a  very  stern  feeling  of  performing  a  duty  which 
somehow  or  other  will  benefit  us,  we  misunderstand 
the  nature  of  the  Bible.  It  is  given  by  the  Spirit 
to  convince,  instruct,  comfort,  guide,  and  this 
through  the  understanding,  conscience,  emotions  ; 
therefore  we  have  in  the  Bible,  history,  conquest, 
poetry,  maxims,  suggestions,  appeals ;  all  that  is 
within  us  is  exercised  by  this  Word ;  and  the 
more  the  Spirit  aids  us,  the  more  will  all  our 
mental  and  moral  faculties  be  brought  into  activity 
in  reading  of  Scripture.  Again  I  say:  Frequent, 
copious,  honest  reading  of  the  Bible,  in  dependence 
on  the  grace  of  God,  who  alone  giveth  the 
increase." 

Early  in  the  winter  of  1863,  Dr.  Norman 
Macleod ;  his  brother  Donald,  Saphir's  student 
friend  and  correspondent ;  Saphir,  and  Fleming 
Stevenson  had  a  delightful  tour  up  the  Rhine, 
visiting  Kaiserswerth,  Elberfeld,  and  other  centres 
of  Christian  work.  An  account  of  it  appeared 
in  the  May  number  of  Good  Words  of  1863, 
entitled  '  Up  the  Rhine  in  Winter,  by  Four 
Travellers,'  and  signed  with  the  initials  N.  McL., 
A.  S.,  W.  F.  S.,  and  D.  McL.  Saphir  greatly 
enjoyed  the  tour,  and  wrote  a  part  of  the  narrative. 


175 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

FAME    IN    LONDON. 

Narrative  by  Mr.  James  E.  Mathieson — Address  in  Stafford 
Rooms — Impression  on  Brownlovv  North — Address  repeated 
in  Hanover  Square  Eooms — Lord  Shaftesbury — This 
address  the  Basis  of  Christ  and  the  Scriptures — Action 
as  to  Hymns — Value  as  a  Teacher. 

WE  devote  this  chapter  to  a  sketch  kindly 
forwarded  to  us  by  Mr.  James  E. 
Mathieson,  so  long  at  the  head  of  the  work  at 
Mildmay,  who  was  one  of  Saphir's  most  devoted 
and  beloved  friends.  It  shows  how  he  was  brought 
prominently  before  the  great  public  of  London. 

The  revival  of  1859-60  was  nowhere  welcomed 
with  greater  joy  than  in  the  Paddington  Branch 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  Stafford 
Eooms,  Tichborne  Street,  where  the  saintly  Henry 
Hull  was  then  superintendent.  A  blessed  work 
of  grace  was  there  witnessed  and  fostered  both 
by  H.  Hull  and  his  successor,  C.  Eussell  Hurditch. 
It  was  in  the  year  1864  or  1865  that  the  latter, 
always  on  the  look-out  for  some  one  who  would 
help  in  stimulating  the  Christian  growth  of  young 
believers,    invited    Mr.    Saphir,    at    that    time    a 


176  LORD   SHAFTESBURY. 

minister  in  Greenwich,  to  come  and  give  an 
address  at  an  evening  meeting ;  and  a  memorable 
address  it  proved  to  be. 

Amongst  others  who  listened  to  it  with  rapt 
attention  was  the  late  Brownlow  North,  at  that 
time  in  the  height  of  his  power  as  a  lay  preacher. 
He  felt  it  was  too  good  to  be  limited  to  the  roomful 
of  people  who  first  heard  it ;  and  Saphir  agreed 
to  re-deliver  it,  some  weeks  later,  at  a  meeting 
in  Hanover  Square  Rooms,  where  good  Lord 
Shaftesbury  took  the  chair.  He,  in  like  manner, 
was  greatly  struck  by  the  ability  and  the  con- 
vincing power  of  the  speaker,  who  drew  his 
arguments  and  illustrations  entirely  from  the 
Bible,  with  which  he  displayed  a  masterly 
familiarity. 

This  address  formed  the  basis  of  what  is  perhaps 
Saphir's  ablest  and  most  useful  contribution  to 
Evangelical  literature,  CJirist  and  the  Scriptures ; 
a  little  book  which  has  been  circulated  in  tens  of 
thousands,  and  is  to-day  more  needed  for  correction 
of  unsound  views  than  at  any  time  since  it  was 
first  published.  It  was  the  forerunner  of  many 
other  weighty  volumes ;  but  it  is  the  book  by 
which  he  will  longest  survive  as  an  author. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  England,  like  her 
sister  Churches  in  the  North,  for  long  years  was 
restricted  in  her  public  service  of  praise  to  the  use 
of  the  Psalms  in  metrical  version.  After  an  internal 
controversy  of  some  years'  duration,  the  use  of 
hymns  was  permitted,  and  a  hymn-book  had  to  be 


ACTION  AS  TO  HYMNS.  177 

compiled  under  the  roof  and  the  genial  presidency 
of  the  late  Dr.  James  Hamilton,  of  Eegent  Square 
Church.  The  suggestion  and  the  selection  of  the 
hymns  was  altogether  in  the  line  of  Saphir's  acute, 
discriminating,  and  truth-loving  mind ;  he  seemed 
instinctively  to  reject  error  or  any  mis-statement 
of  revealed  truth.  One  of  the  hymns  which  he 
suggested  was  that  by  Dr.  H.  Bonar : — 

"  The  Church  has  waited  long 
Her  absent  Lord  to  see  ; " 

in  the  first  verse  of  which  occurs  the  words  : — 

''  And  still  in  weeds  of  widowhood 
She  weeps  a  mourner  yet." 

The  introduction  of  this  hymn  was  opposed  by  a 
minister  from  Lancashire,  more  noted  for  the 
vehemence  than  the  validity  of  his  opinions. 
"You  will  wreck  your  hymn-book,"  said  he, 
**if  you  insert  hymns  like  that.  The  Church  is 
not  in  her  widowhood."  Saphir  quietly  replied, 
'*  I  thought  it  was  the  apostate  Church  which  said, 
'  I  sit  as  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow,  and  shall 
see  no  sorrow.'  "  The  hymn  was  rejected,  and  I 
believe  Saphir  assisted  no  more  in  the  endeavour 
to  make  or  to  mar  the  new  hymn-book.  But  in 
this  incident  was  noticeable  his  love  of  the  thought 
of  our  Lord's  personal  appearing.  This  blessed 
hope  of  Christ's  pre-millenial  return  gleamed  like 
a  golden  thread  throug;h,  and  coloured  with  a 
heavenly  brilliance,  all  his  teachings.  The  revival 
already  referred  to — like  all  modern  revivals — had 


178  SAPHIR'S    VALUE  AS  A    TEACHER 

brought  this  belief  of  the  Apostolic  Church  into 
new  prominence,  and  had  given  it  a  place  in 
Christian  thought  such  as  it  never  before  has 
occupied  since  the  first  Christian  age. 

Saphir's  proximity  to  London  during  his  ex- 
tended ministry  in  the  suburb  of  Greenwich,  and 
his  occasional  preaching  in  the  pulpits  of  some  of 
his  co-presbyters  in  the  metropolis,  revealed  his 
value  as  a  teacher  to  a  gradually  increasing  number 
of  men  and  women,  who  loved  and  appreciated 
the  truth  as  presented  in  his  own  masterly  fashion. 
He  seemed  to  combine  the  gentleness  and  simplicity 
of  a  child  with  the  firm  grasp  of  a  strong  man, 
when  he  dealt  with  Holy  Scripture.  No  halting  or 
hesitating  utterance  could  be  detected  in  his  voice 
or  manner,  as  he  dwelt  upon  the  deep  things  of 
God,  and  lucidly  spread  out  before  a  hushed 
audience  the  magnificent  truths  concerning  Jesus 
Christ  and  God's  way  of  salvation.  There  was 
none  of  the  obscurity  which  sometimes  passes  for 
profundity  in  his  preaching ;  very  young  listeners 
understood  his  meaning  ;  experienced  believers  were 
enriched  by  his  discourse ;  anxious  souls  were  com- 
forted ;  doubting  ones  found  deliverance.  After 
enjoying  the  privilege  of  sitting  at  the  feet  of  this 
master  in  Israel  for  a  season,  other  ministrations 
seemed  meagre,  colourless,  weak.  He  knew  and 
handled  Old  Testament  Scripture  as  perhaps  only  a 
son  of  Abraham  could.  Moses  and  the  Psalmists 
and  the  Prophets  were  his  familiar  friends  and 
intimates ;  and  he  clearly  perceived  that  ignorance 


HIS  FAITHFULNESS.  179 

and  neglect  of  the  prophetic  Word  can  well  account 
both  for  the  hollowness  and  declension  in  doctrine 
which  characterize  these  last  days. 

Like  his  great  countryman  St.  Paul,  whom  he 
resembled  in  the  weakness  of  his  body  as  well  as 
in  spiritual  insight  and  might,  he  shunned  not  to 
declare  to  his  hearers  "  the  whole  counsel  of  God," 
and  his  faithfulness  found  a  reward  even  here  ni 
a  large  circle  of  attached  and  appreciative  Christian 
friends  from  every  Evangelical  branch  of  the 
Church.  He  is  one  of  the  examples  in  this  age, 
of  what  will  happeji  in  the  next,  when  fully 
persuaded  Jews  will  carry  the  gospel  into  all  the 
world  with  a  persuasiveness  which  no  unbelief 
will  be  able  to  withstand. 


180 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

'CHRIST  AND  THE  SCRIPTURES.' 

Its  Importance  and  Originality — Short  Survey  of  its  Argu- 
ments— The  Second  Coming  of  Christ — Opposition  to  the 
"Broad  Church"  Theology— The  Lord's  Prayer— The 
Future  Kingdom. 

THE  remarkable  address  referred  to  in  the 
previous  chapter  was  shortly  issued  in  an 
expanded  form  under  the  title  of  Clirist  and  the 
Scriptures.  The  volume  produced  at  once  a  deep 
impression,  and  added  much  to  his  fame.  It  is  a 
wonderful  book  in  short  compass ;  it  silently 
refutes  more  perhaps  than  any  other  book  of  recent 
times — usino;  the  word  recent  in  a  laroe  sense — 
the  scepticism  and  unbelief  of  the  day.  AVe  there- 
fore note,  at  some  length,  its  positions,  as  it 
brings  most  clearly  out  the  leading  points  of  his 
theology.     It  begins  with  a  forcible  sentence  : — 

"  In  the  volume  of  the  Book  it  is  written  of 
Me."  Martin  Luther  asks,  "  AVhat  Book  and  what 
Person  ? "  "  There  is  only  one  Book,"  is  his  reply, 
"Scripture;  and  only  one  Person — Jesus  Christ." 

Its  great  principle  is  that    "  there    subsists  an 


CHRIST  AND    THE  SCRIPTURES:  181 


essential  and  vital  connection  "  between  the  eternal 
Word  of  God  and  that  written  AVord  "  which 
testifies  of  Him,  of  His  person  and  work,  of  His 
sufferings  and  glory."  "  It  is  impossible  for  us  to 
understand  the  nature  of  Scripture  unless  we  view 
it  in  relation  to  the  Son  of  God,  the  Messiah  of 
Israel,  the  Eedeemer  of  God's  people  ;  for  He  is  the 
centre  and  kernel  of  the  inspired  record." 

He  notes  as  a  striking  peculiarity  of  our  age 
that  the  attention  of  thoughtful  minds  is  so  pre- 
eminently fixed  on  Christ.  In  no  age  have  there 
been  so  many  attempts  made  to  reconstruct,  so  to 
speak,  the  history  of  Jesus.  We  need  not  be 
astonished  at  the  strange  misconceptions  and 
grievous  errors  into  which  men  fall,  who  are  trying 
to  understand  Jesus,  as  they  understand  other  his- 
torical men.  He  is  not  even  in  His  humanity 
intelligible,  except  on  the  territory  of  revelation. 
When  the  beauty  of  Christ's  character,  and  the 
simplicity  and  depth  of  His  teaching,  attract  men's 
minds,  they  flatter  themselves  that  Jesus  is  the 
efflorescence  of  humanity,  that  history  has  produced 
Him,  that  nature  is  glorified  in  Him.  But  Jesus 
is  above  all,  because  He  is  from  above.  He  came 
in  the  fullness  of  time,  and  belonged  to  Israel ;  the 
God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  is  the  God  and 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  an 
organic,  vital,  and  necessary  connection  between 
the  Christ  and  the  nation.  There  is  a  nation 
different  from  all  nations — the  Jews — chosen  by 
God  that  He  may  reveal  Himself  to  and  through 


182  'CHRIST  AND   THE  SCRIPTURES: 

them  ;  there  is  a  Man  different  from  all  men — the 
Lord  from  heaven,  Jesus  the  Son  of  David,  the  Son 
of  God,  Messiah  of  Israel  and  Head  of  the  Church  ; 
and  there  is  a  Booh  different  from  all  other  books — 
the  record  of  God's  dealings  with  Israel,  culminating 
in  the  manifestation  of  that  Eedeemer,  whose 
goings  forth  are  from  of  old,  even  from  everlasting. 
The  same  Spirit  of  God  convinces  us  of  the 
supremacy  of  Christ  and  of  the  supremacy  of 
Scripture. 

As  the  hearts  of  men  are  attracted  by  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  only  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King, 
their  minds  are  filled  with  reverence  and  love  for 
the  Scriptures.  The  Eeformation  is  based  upon 
the  two  principles :  Christ  only,  Christ  above  all ; 
and  the  Scriptures  only,  the  Bible  above  all  human 
authority.  Higher  than  the  Bible  is  not  reason, 
not  the  Church,  not  the  Christian  consciousness, 
but  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  reveals  Christ  in  the 
written  Word,  so  that  it  becomes  to  us  what  it 
truly  is,  the  Word  of  God,  the  voice  of  the 
Beloved. 

This  is  the  basis  or  theology  of  the  book. 

He  considers  the  method  in  wdiich  Christ  re- 
garded and  treated  the  Scriptures.  He  shows 
that  Jesus  in  His  general  teaching  constantly 
made  use  of  the  Scriptures,  and  not  only  so, 
but  that  there  were  concealed  allusions  to  the 
Scriptures  through  the  teaching,  as  in  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount.     "All  Christ's  thoughts  and  expres* 


ITS  ARGUMENT  SURVEYED.  183 


sioDS  have  been  moulded  in  that  wonderful  school 
of  teaching  which  God  had  given  to  His  chosen 
people.  From  the  Inner  Circle  of  His  disciples  He 
is  constantly  referriug  to  the  Scriptures  as  fulfilled 
in  Him,  as  in  the  i^assage,  '  Then  He  took  unto 
Him  the  twelve,  and  said  unto  them.  Behold,  we 
go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  all  things  that  are  ivritten 
hy  the  2^^'02^hets  concerning  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
he  accomplisliecV  In  the  facts  23receding  His 
crucifixion,  frequent  reference  is  made  by  Him  to 
the  fulfilling  of  Scripture,  and  after  the  Eesur- 
rection  He  said,  but  '  all  things  must  be  fulfilled 
which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in 
the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms  concerning  Me.' 
He  opened  their  understanding,  that  they  might 
understand  the  Scriptures.  And  again,  in  His 
conflicts  and  prayers.  In  the  Temptation  He  does 
not  appeal  to  His  own  feelings  ;  He  does  not  bring 
forward  thoughts  and  feelings,  but  the  written 
Word.  Three  times  He  refers  to  the  Scriptures. 
Even  in  glory  He  constantly  refers  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. In  the  Epistles  to  the  seven  churches.  He 
speaks  of  the  tree  of  life  in  the  paradise  of  God  ; 
He  refers  to  the  history  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness ; 
He  speaks  of  the  manna,  of  the  key  of  David, 
of  the  true  temple,  and  of  the  New  Jerusalem. 
'  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock '  is  the 
voice  of  Jesus  from  heaven,  even  as,  in  the  Song 
of  Solomon,  the  bridegroom  speaks  in  the  same 
language.  One  of  the  last  sayings  of  Christ  is  the 
most  comprehensive  as  well  as  concise  summary  of 


184         NEW  TESTAMENT  HINGES   ON  OLD. 

the   whole  writings  of   Moses    and   the    Prophets. 
'/  am  the  I'oot  and  ojfsjn'ing  of  David.''' 

He  shows  that  the  New  Testament  cannot  be 
intelligently  understood,  without  using  the  Old 
Testament  as  a  kind  of  dictionary  : — "  The  thought 
of  many  is,  I  can  read  all  about  Jesus,  much 
better  described,  more  clearly  and  more  fully, 
in  the  New  Testament.  I  believe  this  to  be 
erroneous,  and  in  part  bordering  on  superstition. 
Take  the  Gospels  :  how  can  we  understand  them 
without  Moses  and  the  Prophets  ?  The  very 
first  verse  of  Matthew  is  unintelligible  :  '  The  book 
of  the  generation  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
David,  the  Son  of  Abraham.'  AVho  is  David  ? — 
who  Abraham  ?  What  meaning  is  there  in  this 
genealogy  ? "  "If  Ave  want  to  understand  the 
Gospels,  the  life  and  teaching  of  Jesus,  we  require 
the  same  preparation  as  Israel  enjoyed."  He 
shows  how,  not  only  through  all  the  Apostolic 
appeals  to  the  people,  but  through  all  the  Epistles, 
there  is  the  unfolding  of  the  meaning  of  the  Old 
Testament.  "  You  cannot  read  the  '  New  Testa- 
ment '  without  using  the  '  Old '  as  a  dictionary ; 
and  it  is  a  very  superficial  view  that  because  we 
see  the  word  '  Jesus,'  and  the  word  '  Lamb,'  and 
the  words  '  blood '  and  '  mercy  seat,'  we  have 
therefore  clear  and  full  views,  and  solid  and  sub- 
stantial ground  of  confidence,  comfort,  and  hope. 
Unless  we  know  the  meaning  which  God  has 
attached  to  these  words,  a  meanino*  which  is  ex- 


THE  FALL   AND   REDEMPTION.  18/ 


plained  in  the  history,  the  types,  the  institution, 
and  the  prophecy  given  to  Israel,  we  do  not  rest 
on  a  solid  basis,  we  are  not  feeding  on  nourishing 
food,  we  are  not  growing  by  the  sincere  milk  of 
the  Word." 

He  describes  in  detail  the  leading  characteristics 
of  the  Bible  first,  as  to  the  fall  and  redemption  : — 
"  The  Sublime  Doctrine  as  to  God,  the  law  of  God, 
Eedemption.  Take  a  beautiful  vase,  a  masterpiece 
of  art,  and  dash  it  to  the  ground,  so  that  it  is 
shattered  into  a  hundred  pieces.  AYho  can  restore 
it  ?  Who  can  unite  the  fragments,  so  that  the 
harmony  of  the  original  will  again  show  forth  the 
master's  skill  and  thought  ?  Yet  what  is  this 
compared  to  the  Fall  ?  What  a  redemption  ! 
Full  pardon  of  sin,  so  that  our  souls  are  whiter 
than  the  snow ;  condemnation  is  removed,  and 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  opened  ;  the  heart  is 
changed,  the  will  set  free,  the  mind  enlightened. 
Man  never  could  have  conceived  this.  We  can 
only  exclaim,  '  Oh,  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of 
the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  how  unsearch- 
able are  His  judgments,  and  His  ways  past  finding 
out ! ' " 

There  is  next  the  characteristic  of  prophecy, 
which  he  regards  as  interwoven  with  the  whole 
texture  of  the  Bible  : — "  The  element  of  prediction 
in  Scripture  has  been  lately  undervalued,  and 
under    the    specious    plea    that    the    moral    and 


186  (1HARACTERISTI0S   OF  PROPHECY. 

spiritual,    the    ethical    element    in    the    prophets 
is  the  chief  thing.     This  is  a  confusion  of  ideas. 
All    prediction    which  is   scriptural   is    ethical,   or 
rather  spiritual,  because  it  refers  to  the   kingdom 
of    God,    and    to    the    centre — Christ.      But    the 
spiritual    element    is    intimately    connected    with 
the   fact,  the   continued   manifestations   and    o^ifts 
of    God    to    His    people.      That    Scripture    pre- 
diction is   throughout  ethical,  that  it  differs  from 
all    soothsaying,   from    the    foretelling    of   isolated 
events  and  incidents  to  satisfy  curiosity ;   that  it 
is  organically  connected  with  the  Divine  education 
of  Israel,  full  of  principles,  warning,  guidance,  and 
encouragement  for  the  people  to  wdiom  it  is  given, 
ought  to  be  perfectly  plain  to  every  reader  of  the 
Bible.       But    equally    clear    it   is,    that    Scripture 
predicts  events  which  none  could  have  foreseen." 
Numerous  instances  are  given   of  this  :    as    the 
promise  to  Abram  that  in  his  seed  all  families  of 
the   earth  should   be    blessed  ;    the  predictions  of 
Christ ;    His    birth  as   man    and   yet    His    Divine 
nature — Immanuel,     Wonderful,     Counsellor,     the 
mighty  God,  &c. ;  His  descent  from  David,  so  clear 
that  no  doubt  was  ever  entertained  on  the  subject ; 
the  place  of  His  birth  ;  the  time,  so  that  the  whole 
nation  was  waiting  for  Him  when  He   appeared  ; 
the  messenger  to  precede  Him  ;  His  character.  His 
work.  His  preaching  good  tidings  unto  the  meek  ; 
His  rejection  ;    His  death   as  the   Paschal  Lamb  ; 
the'    minute    circumstances    connected  with    His 
death;   His  resurrection,   His  ascension,  &c. ;    the 


THE  BIBLE  AND    THE   APOCRYPHA.  187 

outpouring  of  the  Spirit ;  the  going  forth  of  the 
gospel  to  the  Gentiles.  Then  what  clear  predictions 
as  to  the  Jews,  their  realizing  their  misery,  their 
preservation  !  No  wonder  that  the  greatest  philo- 
sopher of  our  age  (Hegel)  felt  the  Jewish  history 
a  dark  and  perplexing  enigma.  Then  the  pro- 
phecies as  to  Babylon  and  the  various  lieathen 
nations — all  so  literally  fulfilled. 

He  then  shows  how  this  Book  differs  absolutely 
from  all  other  books,  as  brought  out  forcibly  in 
attempted  imitations  : — What  a  contrast  with  the 
Apocrypha  !  What  a  startling  ditference  between 
the  four  Evangelists  and  the  apocryphal  Gospels,  or 
between  the  apostolic  Epistles  and  the  apostolic 
Fathers.  As  Neander  says  : — "  There  is  no  gentle 
gradation  here,  but  all  at  once  an  abrupt  transi- 
tion from  one  style  of  language  to  the  other,  a 
phenomenon  which  should  lead  us  to  acknowledge 
the  fact  of  a  special  agency  of  the  Divine  Spirit 
in  the  souls  of  the  Apostles,  and  of  a  new 
creative  element  in  the  first  period.  As  to  the 
apocryphal  Gospels,  with  their  childish  fiiUacies,  it 
is  significant  that  in  the  Gospel  of  John  (ii.)  the 
miracle  at  Cana  is  described  as  the  beginning 
of  miracles  which  Jesus  did,  thus  excluding  all 
the  miracles  ascribed  by  tradition  to  Christ's 
childhood." 

He  notices  the  wonderful — truly  miraculous — 
nianner,  in  which  both  sections   of  the  Scriptures 


1.S8     THE  JEWS'    CARE   OF  SACRED    WRITINGS. 

have  been  preserved  : — "  The  Jews  have  carefully 
watched  over  the  letter  of  their  sacred  writinofs. 
The  most  accurate  and  diligent  research  has 
availed  to  discover  only  trifling  variations  in 
the  manuscripts.  This  is  still  more  wonderful 
when  we  consider  by  whom  these  writings  were 
preserved.  The  Jews,  who  reject  the  Messiah  of 
whom  Moses  and  the  Prophets  testify,  preserve  the 
very  books  which  prove  their  unbelief,  and  convince 
the  world  of  the  Divine  authority  and  mission  of 
Jesus.  And  where  is  there  a  nation  preserving 
carefully  a  record,  which  so  rej)eatedly  and  emphati- 
cally declares  that  they  are  obstinate,  ungrateful, 
and  perverse,  and  which  attributes  all  their  excel- 
lences, not  to  their  natural  disposition  and  qualities, 
nor  to  their  energy  and  merit,  but  exclusively  to 
the  mercy  and  power  of  God  ?  "  Niebuhr  says,  "  The 
Old  Testament  stands  perfectly  alone  as  an  excep- 
tion from  the  untruth  of  patriotism.  Its  truthful- 
ness is  the  highest  in  all  historical  writings.  ...  I 
must  also  ascribe  to  it  the  most  minute  accuracy." 
And  as  to  the  Church  of  Rome  preserving  the 
writings  of  Evangelists  and  Apostles,  what  could 
be  more  marvellous  ?  These  writings  declare  that 
Christ  hath  perfected  by  one  sacrifice  them  that  are 
sanctified ;  that  salvation  is  by  grace  througli  faith, 
and  that  not  of  ourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God  ;  that 
all  believers  are  kings  and  priests  unto  God ;  that 
there  is  no  mediator  between  God  and  man  but  the 
man  Christ  Jesus ;  that  Peter  himself  savoured  of 
the  things  that  are  of  men,  and  not  of  the  things 


CHRIST  AND    THE  SCRIPTURES.  189 

that  are  of  God,  and  had,  even  after  Pentecost,  to 
be  severely  rebuked  and  energetically  resisted  by 
Paul ;  that  Mary  is  told  by  the  Saviour  Himself 
not  to  interfere  in  the  concerns  of  His  Kinodom  ; 
that  freely  we  have  received,  and  freely  we  must 
give  ;  that  men  forbidding  to  marry  and  command- 
ing to  abstain  from  meat,  are  the  expected  false 
teachers ;  that  in  the  congregation  we  are  not  to 
pray  in  an  unknown  tongue  ;  and  that  Christians 
are  commended  for  subjecting  even  the  teaching  of 
the  Apostles  to  the  authority  and  confirmation  of 
the  Scripture.  "  The  Jews  bear  unwilling  witness 
to  Jesus,  and  Rome  has  carefully  preserved  and 
transcribed  her  own  condemnation." 

The  Bible  stands  alone  in  its  adaptability  to 
all  nations  and  all  classes  of  people,  and  to  all 
circumstances. 

The  resemblance  between  the  person  of  Christ 
and  the  Scriptures,  in  the  Divine  and  perfectly 
human  aspects  of  both,  is  traced  out  in  the  following- 
passages  ;  also  the  contrast  in  method  between  the 
Scriptures  and  the  creeds  are  both  revelations 
of  God ;  Jmman  and  Divine,  Jewish  and  Catholic. 
Jesus,  the  true,  real,  humble  humanity,  was  not 
concealed ;  on  the  contrary,  in  all  simplicity,  undis- 
guised, unadorned,  without  an  attempt  to  invest 
Himself  in  appearance,  manner,  speech,  with  any- 
thing imposing  or  mysterious,  Jesus  lived,  spake, 
and  walked  as  man.  So  with  the  Bible.  The  style 
of  the   book  is   human,   more   especially  Oriental. 


190  JESUS   A    TRUE  ISRAELITE. 


Men  say,  Is  not  this  a  human  book  ?  Is  it  not 
Eastern  in  language,  diction,  thought,  and  imagery  ? 
Do  we  not  meet  its  brothers  and  sisters,  books  of 
cosfnate  tribes  ?  The  human  element,  or  rather 
aspect,  is  very  prominent. 

The  Bible  contains  poetry,  parables,  riddles, 
maxims,  letters,  every  variety  of  human  composi- 
tion. But  this  human  character  in  no  way  militates 
against  its  Diviue  origin.  It  was  God's  gracious 
purpose  that  the  Word  should  become  flesh.  Jesus 
was  true  man  and  very  God.  The  Bible  is  in  the 
form  of  a  servant,  human,  yet  Divine  in  its  origin, 
truth,  and  power. 

Jesus  was  a  true  Israelite.  For  this  very  reason 
is  Jesus  the  man  for  all  men  of  all  nations.  The 
Jews  wTre  chosen  to  be  a  nation  separate,  but  in 
order  to  bless  all  mankind.  The  purpose  of  their 
election  is  universal.  The  secret  aim  of  their 
isolation  is  expansion  ;  the  very  joy  and  glory  of 
their  destiny  is  a  world-w^ide  influence.  Jesus  as 
the  King  of  the  Jews,  Jesus  as  the  true  Israel,  is 
appointed  to  draw  all  men,  and  to  rule  all  men. 
So  is  the  Scripture  Jewish  and  universal — universal 
not  in  spite  of,  but  in  virtue  of,  its  Jewish  character. 
Its  Jewish  character  is  not  a  garment  in  which  it 
is  accidentally  clothed  ;  it  is  the  body  wdiich  the 
Spirit,  according  to  God's  plan,  has  prepared. 
Eliminate  the  Jewish  character,  and  you  lose  the 
essence.  The  Paoan  and  Gentile  element  has  to 
a  great  extent  been  the  source  of  error. 


THE  BIBLE  A    LIVING    ORGAN ESM.  191 


Our  theology  is  far  too  abstract,  unhistorical ; 
looking  at  doctrines  logically  instead  of  in  connection 
with  the  Kingdom  and  the  Church.  It  is  Japhetic, 
not  Shemitic ;  it  is  Roman,  logical,  well- arranged, 
methodized,  and  scheduled ;  not  Eastern,  according 
to  the  spirit  and  method  of  the  Scriptures,  which 
breathes  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  living  God,  who 
visits  His  people,  and  is  coming  again  to  manifest 
His  glory.  The  Bible  is  as  a  living  organism.  "  It 
is  a  body  animated  by  one  Spirit.  Who  would 
assert  that  a  chapter  of  names  in  the  book  of 
Chronicles  is  as  important  and  precious  as  the  third 
chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel  ? — or  that  the  account 
of  Paul's  shipwreck  is  as  essential  as  the  account  of 
Christ's  sufferings  ?  But  what  w^e  say  is,  that  all 
Scripture  is  one  organism,  and  that  the  same 
wisdom  and  love  have  formed  the  wdiole  ;  and  that 
even  to  every  branch,  and  bough,  and  leaf,  it  lives 
and  breathes,  and  is  beautiful  and  very  good.  And 
the  reason  why  many  historical  and  statistical  and 
prophetical  portions  of  Scripture  seem  to  us  unim- 
portant and  even  unnecessary,  is  because  we  do  not 
sufficiently  live  in  the  whole  circle  of  Divine  ideas 
and  purposes." 

All  Divine  revelations  have  Christ  not  merely 
for  their  Mediator,  but  for  their  centre.  We  have 
not  merely  a  succession  of  prophetic  announcements 
of  His  coming.  His  work,  and  glory,  but  in  all 
God's  dealings  with  Israel  He  revealed  Himself  to 
them  in  Christ.    Abraham  beheld  the  day  of  Christ ; 


192  THE   QJJEiiTION   OF  INSPIEATIOX. 

the  E,ock  that  followed  Israel  through  the  wilderness 
was  Christ.  In  his  love  and  sympathy,  in  his 
sufferings  and  faith,  David  was  a  type  of  the  great 
Shepherd-King,  even  as  Solomon  prefigured  His 
glory  and  widespread  dominion.  Through  all  the 
festivals  and  sacrifices  shone  the  light  of  God  in 
Christ.  That  God  would  descend  from  heaven  to 
earth  was  impressed  on  Israel  by  the  constant 
appearance  of  God  as  angel  or  messenger  :  as  iVngel 
of  the  Covenant,  Angel  in  whom  is  God's  Name,  as 
God  manifest,  whom  man  can  see  face  to  face  .  .  . 
And  as  Christ's  ]3erson  was  the  substance  of  all 
Jewish  history  and  Scripture,  His  sufferings  were 
continually  witnessed  to  in  \vord,  type,  and 
experience. 

The  question  of  inspiration  he  treats  very  full}', 
and  the  close  connection  between  the  inspiration 
of  the  Book  and  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
hearts  of  God's  people  : — 

Some  have  objected  in  recent  times  to  the  doctrine 
of  inspiration  on  the  plea  that  Scripture  itself  does 
not  assert  such  a  fact.  But  this  is  erroneous ;  not 
merely  does  Scripture  fully  and  distinctly  assert 
the  doctrine,  but  the  whole  teaching  of  Scripture 
indirectly  confirms  this  view\  In  most  cases,  wiiere 
inspiration  is  doubted,  it  is  based  on  ignorance  of 
what  is  meant  by  "  The  Holy  Ghost."  It  is  because 
people  do  not  believe  that  only  the  Spirit  of  God 
can  reveal  the  things  of  God  and  Christ  to  our 
spirit,  that  they  have  no  firm  belief  and  enlightened 


CHRIST  AND    THE  SCRIPTURES.  193 

view  as  to  the  Spirit's  special  work — the  Scripture. 
Had  a  scriptural  view  of  the  person  and  work  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  been  more  powerfully  prevalent  in 
the  Church,  not  merely  in  her  formularies,  but  in 
reality  and  life,  there  never  would  have  been  so 
much  occasion  given  to  represent  the  teaching  of 
the  Church  on  the  inspiration  of  Scripture  as 
mechanical,  "  converting  men  into  automata,"  and 
the  whole  question  would  not  have  assumed  such  a 
scholastic  and  metaphysical  form.  For  then  the 
living  testimony  and  the  written  testimony  would 
appear  both  as  supernatural  and  Spirit-breathed. 
The  more  the  supremacy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Divine, 
loving,  and  present,  is  acknowledged,  the  more  the 
Bible  is  fixed  in  the  heart  and  conscience.  But  if 
the  "  Book  "  is  received  as  the  relic  and  substitute 
of  a  now  absent  and  inactive  Spirit,  Bibliolatry 
and  Bible -rejection  are  the  necessary  results.  *''  The 
Spirit  of  Jehovah,  the  prophets  assert,  came  upon 
them.  It  is  an  influence  from  without,  and  from 
above."  ''  Isaiah's  mouth  is  touched  with  a  live 
coal  from  oft'  the  altar."  To  Jeremiah  Jehovah 
saith,  "  Behold,  I  have  put  My  word  in  thy  mouth." 
"  Ezekiel  received  and  ate  the  roll  God  gave  him." 
The  Lord  and  the  Apostles  sometimes  mention  the 
name  of  the  individual  writer,  in  quoting  from  the 
Old  Testament,  but  more  frequently  the  words  are 
used,  "The  Scripture  saith,"  or,  ^'The  Holy  Gliost 
saith  "  : — 

The  manner   in  which   the   Scripture  is  quoted 


194     'THE   TRUE  AUTHOR    Oh    THE  RECORD: 

by  our  Saviour,  the  Evangelists,  and  the  Apostles, 
clearly  shows  that  they  regarded  the  men  by  whom 
the  Word  was  written  as  the  instruments,  but  the 
Lord,  and  more  especially  the  Spirit,  as  the  true 
Author  of  the  whole  organism  of  the  Jewish  record. 
We  must  distinguish  between  the  inspiration  of  the 
Prophets  and  Apostles  as  men,  and  their  inspiration 
as  writers.  As  ivriters  they  w^ere  perfectly  and 
adequately  guided  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  "as  men 
they  were  eminent,  but  still  on  the  same  level  with 
other  disciples  of  Christ."  "  Peter  and  Paul  believed 
the  testimony  they  received  from  God,  and  so  do 
we,  in  believing  through  their  writings,  accept  a 
Divine  testimony."  "  The  quotations  of  Paul  show 
that  he  regarded  the  inspiration  as  extending  to 
the  very  form  of  expression."  Paul  derives  an 
argument  not  merely  from  a  word,  but  from  the 
silence  of  Scripture.  The  circumstance  that  Scripture 
does  not  mention  Melchizedek's  parentage  is  in 
Paul's  estimation  significant ;  and  thus  even  as  in 
music,  not  only  the  notes,  but  also  the  pauses  are 
according  to  the  mind  and  plan  of  the  composer, 
and  instinct  with  the  life  and  spirit  which  breathe 
through  the  whole,  the  very  omissions  of  Scripture, 
be  they  of  great  mysteries,  such  as  the  fall  of  the 
angels,  or  of  minute  details,  such  as  the  descent  of 
the  King  of  Salem,  are  not  the  result  of  chance, 
but  "  according  to  the  wisdom  of  that  Eternal 
Spirit  who  is  the  true  author  of  the  record." 

He  shows  that  there  is  no  inconsistency  between 


INSPIRATION   OF  SCRIPTURE.  195 

the  idea  of  the  inspiration  of  Scripture  and  of  the 
individuality  and  activity  of  mind  of  the  writers ; 
that  there  is  nothing  mechanical,  nor  were  the 
writers  amanuenses. 

The  most  common  objection  urged  against  this 
view  is,  that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  individuality 
of  the  writers.  But  *'  both  facts  are  sure  and 
apparent."  In  the  writings  of  the  Apostles  and 
Prophets  we  see  "  the  influence  of  their  history, 
character,  disposition,  and  mode  of  thought.  It  is 
evident  that  the  Spirit  did  not  destroy  mens 
individuality,  and  that  their  peculiar  history,  ex- 
perience, and  conformation  of  mind,  formed  not  an 
obstacle,  but  a  medium."  The  confusion  arises  from 
a  mistaken  view  of  individuality.  Error  and  sin  are 
not  essential  elements  of  individuality.  A  man 
free  from  error  and  sin  does  not  thereby  lose  his 
individuality ;  on  the  contrary,  he  gains  it  in  the 
fullest  sense.  God's  children  alone  have  individu- 
ality in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word.  The  saints 
in  heaven  will  have  the  most  marked  individuality. 
The  Scripture  authors,  inspired,  yet  individual  and 
free,  give  us  some  idea  of  our  future  state.  The 
inspiration  of  Scripture  is  a  fact,  not  a  theory.  The 
fact  is  that  the  Scriptures,  though  written  by  men, 
are  of  God,  and  that  the  ideas  they  unfold  are 
clothed  in  such  words  as  He  in  His  wisdom  and 
love  intended,  so  that  they  may  be  safely  and  fully 
received  as  expressions  of  His  mind,  and  the 
thoughts  which  He  purposed  to  convey  to  us  for 
our  instruction  and  Guidance.      When  such  a  view 


196  THE  STYLE   OF  SCRIPTURE, 


is  described  and  condemned  as  mecJianical,  there 
is,  after  all,  nothing  said  and  proved.  All  recognize 
to  the  fullest  extent  the  individuality  and  circum- 
stance and  intense  feelings  of  the  writers  that  they 
were  not  amanuenses.  In  speaking  of  the  style  of 
Scripture  he  says  : — "  As  the  ocean  is  to  the  river, 
so  is  the  Bible  style  to  that  of  even  the  most 
spiritual  and  profound  men.  For  in  the  Bible 
everything  is  viewed  from  the  highest  point,  and 
according  to  its  true  essence  and  position  in  the 
history  of  the  Divine  economy.  In  the  Bible  we 
breathe  the  atmosphere  of  eternity."  "  Scripture 
speaks  to  man  and  '  all  that  is  in  him '  (Psalm 
ciii.  1),  and  the  inmost  and  hidden  centre,  from 
which  proceed  all  thoughts,  words,  and  works." 
"It  is  homely  and  confidential.  Its  tone  is  Mherly, 
friendly,  winning  our  trust  and  breathing  out  love," 
'^  wonderfully  comprehensive,  and  yet  very  minute 
and  personal,  uncompromising  and  stern,  and  yet 
most  considerate  and  tender." 

Finally  he  points  out  the  dangers  of  a  lifeless 
orthodoxy  : — The  mere  worship  of  the  letter  apart 
from  the  spirit,  as  by  the  Jews  who  rejected  Jesus, 
is  Bibliolatry.  There  has  been  to  a  great  extent 
"  text "  preaching,  instead  of  "  Word  of  God " 
preaching.  The  Bible  must  be  read  carefully  and 
prayerfully,  and  the  Holy  Spirit's  power  must  be 
sought  to  interpret  it  to  us  ;  but  by  the  Word, 
and  the  AVord  alone,  cometli  light. 


BOOK    ON  'THE  LORD'S   PRAYER:  197 

Clirist  and  the  Scriptures  is  the  most  powerful 
of  all  the  books  written  by  Dr.  Saphir,  except  his 
lectures  on  The  Divine  Unity  of  Scripture,  pub- 
lished since  his  death,  which  express  the  same 
views  more  fully,  and  treat  of  a  wider  range  of 
subjects.  It  was  translated  into  German  by  Frau- 
lein  von  Lanzizolle,  a  lady  connected  with  the 
Prussian  Court,  and  has  been  much  read  in  Ger- 
many, where  it  was  considered  by  Delitzsch  and 
others  that  it  had  been  a  chief  means  of  producing 
in  the  German  churches,  among  ministers  especially, 
a  great  revival  of  religious  faith  and  life. 

The  book  on  the  LorcVs  Prayer,  written  also 
during  his  Greenwich  ministry,  contains  much  that 
is  original,  and  gives  distinctly  his  view  of  the 
future  Kingdom  of  Christ.  Of  the  invocation  he 
says  :— 

"  The  invocation  contains  mysteries.  When  we 
sav  '  Father,'  we  think  of  the  mystery  of  the  Father 
and  His  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  we  remember  the  great 
mystery  of  godliness,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh ; 
and  we  rejoice  with  thanksgiving  in  the  mystery  of 
our  new  birth  by  the  word  of  truth. 

"  When  we  say  '  our,'  we  think  of  the  mystery 
of  the  Church,  the  body  of  Christ. 

"  When  we  say  '  which  art  in  heaven,'  we  think 
of  the  citizenship  of  the  children,  whom  the  world 
knoweth  not,  and  of  the  inheritance  reserved  for 
them ;  we  think  of  the  number  which  have  entered 
within  the  veil ;  and  of  the  sanctuary,  where  the 
Eternal  High  Priest  is  enthroned.  ... 


198  'THY   KINGDOM   COME. 


*'  The  word  '  Father '  appeals  more  directly  to 
our  faith  ;  '  our,'  to  our  love  ;  '  in  heaven,'  to  our 
hope ; — more  directly,  but  not  exclusively.  And 
bearing  this  general  division  in  mind,  not  observhig 
it  rigorously,  let  us  consider  the  filial,  the  brotherly, 
the  heavenly  spirit  of  the  believer.   .   .  . 

"Beholding  in  Jesus  the  image  of  the  invisible 
God — believing  that  God  is  indeed  our  loving  Father, 
let  us  cultivate  a  simpler  trust,  a  more  loving 
confidence,  a  more  bright  and  sunny  calmness  in 
prayer  and  meditation.  Let  the  word  *  Father ' 
be  to  us,  not  so  much  the  exponent  of  a  scriptural 
and  theological  dogma,  as  the  utterance  of  a  peace- 
ful and  radiant  truth." 

The  petition — "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  refers 
primarily  and  directly  to  the  Messianic  Kingdom 
on  earth,  of  which  all  Scripture  testifies.  .  .  . 
The  King  of  this  kingdom  is  the  Lord  Jesus, 
the  Son  of  David ;  the  subjects  of  it  are  Israel 
and  the  nations — the  chosen  people  fulfilling  the 
mission  which,  according  to  the  election  of  God, 
is  assigned  unto  them,  of  being  the  medium  of 
blessing  unto  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  the 
centre  of  the  kingdom  is  Jerusalem,  and  the  means 
of  its  establishment  is  the  coming  and  the  visible 
appearing  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  When  we 
pray  *'Thy  Kingdom  come,"  our  true  meaning  is 
Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly  !  .  .  .  No  doc- 
trine, not  even  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  justifi- 
cation by  faith,  has  assigned  to  it  in  the  inspired 


THE  SECOND   ADVENT.  190 

Word  so  large  a  place  as  the  doctrine  of  the  second 
coming  of  Christ  and  His  Kingdom.  It  is  not 
confined  to  a  few  isolated  passages,  it  is  not  the 
subject  of  one  or  two  books  of  Scripture,  but  it 
pervades  the  whole  Bible.  When  we  are  asked, 
Where  is  it  spoken  of  ?  we  are  tempted  to  reply, 
Ask  rather,  where  is  it  not  spoken  of  ?  .   .  . 

"  It  is  true  that  much  obscurity  attaches  to 
prophecy  as  regards  detail,  and  the  chronological 
sequence  of  events.  It  is  also  conceded  that  it 
is  very  difficult,  and  sometimes  almost  impossible, 
to  conceive  the  manner  in  which  predicted  events 
will  be  brought  about,  and  that  we  can  only  rest 
by  faith  in  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God,  who  will 
surely  fulfil  His  Word,  and  to  whom  all  things  are 
possible.  But  that  the  general  outline  of  prophecy 
is  vague  and  indistinct  must  be  emphatically 
denied.  The  Scripture  gives  forth  no  uncertain 
sound  as  to  the  great  question,  Is  Jesus  to  come 
before  or  after  the  kingdom  of  righteousness  and 
peace  ?  No  truth  is  more  fully  and  more  clearly 
taught  in  Scripture  than  this — that  the  promises 
given  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  renewed  to 
David,  and  confirmed  by  the  Prophets,  and  finally 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  Himself,  will  yet  be  fulfilled  on 
earth ;  that  Israel  is  not  merely  a  type  of  the 
Church,  but  has  a  future  before  it,  in  which  it  will 
have  a  central  position  on  earth ;  and  that  before 
the  final  judgment  there  will  be  a  glorious  kingdom 
ushered  in  by  the  coming,  t\\Q]parousia,  of  Christ." 


200  'BROAD    CnURCir    THEOLOGY. 

Sapliir  never  took  his  theology  from  creeds 
or  formulas,  but  fresh  from  the  fountain  of  the 
Scriptures.  In  all  creeds,  at  least  of  any  length, 
he  held  that  there  was  much  mere  human  philo- 
sophy, of  the  period  in  which  they  were  prepared. 
At  the  same  time,  so  far  from  any,  the  slightest, 
tendency  to  the  vague  teaching  of  many  in  the 
present  day,  Saphir's  immense  knowledge  of  Scrip- 
ture led  him  to  cleave  more  closely,  and  with  more 
real  power,  to  the  great  principles  of  Christianity — 
the  authority  of  Scripture  as  from  God — the  atone- 
ment— the  Spirit's  power — the  Kingdom.  The 
Broad  Cliurch  theology  of  the  day,  which  is  so 
greatly  undermining  the  position  of  all  the  Churches, 
is  not  so  much  a  battle  against  creeds,  though  it 
assails  their  positive  statements  of  doctrine,  as 
directly  against  the  authority  of  Scripture,  and 
against  the  supernatural ;  in  fact  against  the 
foundation  principles  of  Christianity. 


201 


CHAPTER  XVllI. 

CLOSE    OF  MINISTRY  AT   GREENWICH. 

Sketch  of  Mr.  aud  Mrs.  Saphir  by  Canon  McCormick — His 
Health  failing — Always  Fragile — Leave  of  Absence  for  a 
Year — Typhoid  Fever  in  the  Engadine — His  Influence 
there — Return  in  1871 — Resignation  of  his  Charge  in 
1872. 

A  DEVOTED  friend,  the  Rev.  Canon  McCormick, 
now  of  Hull,  who  was  vicar  of  a  church  at 
Greenwich  at  this  time,  sends  us  a  vigorous,  life- 
like sketch  of  Saphir  and  his  work — 

Adolph  Saphir  was  most  loved  by  those  who 
understood  him  best.  He  wanted  knowing  to  be 
thoroughly  appreciated ;  not  that  there  was  any 
ditHculty  in  deciphering  his  character.  He  was 
thoroughly  open  and  transparent,  but  he  was  many- 
sided.  Though  an  honest  Presbyterian,  he  was 
broad  in  his  sympathies,  and  catholic  in  the  truest 
and  best  sense  of  the  term.  This  may  be  accounted 
for  by  the  breadth  of  his  reading.  He  was  remark- 
ably familiar  with  the  theology  of  tlie  Church  of 
England,  and  could  quote  Pusey  as  well  as  Maurice 

or  Moule.     I  sometimes  told  him  that  he  ought  to 

o 


202  SKETCH  BY   CANON  McCORMICK. 

be  in  the  Gliurcli  of  England  l)ecause  of  its  his- 
torical continuity,  and  because  his  influence  for 
good  would  be  greater  and  wider ;  but  he  held 
strons:  views,  adverse  to  the  connection  of  Church 
and  State.  I  need  not  enlarge  upon  those  views, 
for  this  would  necessitate  some  attempt  at  their 
refutation,  from  my  stand-point. 

It  was  thought  that  at  one  time  he  was  half 
a  Plymouth  Brother ;  nothing  could  have  been 
farther  from  the  truth.  He  recognized  what  he 
thought  to  be  good  amongst  the  Brethren,  but  he 
was  opposed  to  many  of  their  distinctive  tenets. 
It  might  just  as  well  be  said  that  lie  was  half  a 
Ritualist,  because  he  considered  that  Dr.  Pusey 
and  his  school  had  got  hold  of  the  right  end  of 
the  stick,  in  speaking  of  the  Church  as  a  spiritual 
kino-dom.     llie    fact   was  that  his    catholic   mind 

o 

led  him  to  cull  the  sweetest  and  best  flowers  out 
of  every  religious  garden. 

His  real  sympathies  were  with  the  old  Evan- 
gelical school  of  thought.  He  was  a  decided, 
though  a  moderate,  Calvinist,  and  held  that  every 
one  who  understood  the  election  in  relation  to 
Israel  must,  as  a  consequence,  be  so.  But  apart 
from  what  may  be  termed  orthodox  lines,  he  was 
wise,  tolerant,  just,  and  often  very  original.  You 
never  quite  knew  where  to  find  him,  in  some  of  his 
religious  flights.  Here  he  was  with  Pascal ;  then 
with  Newman.  He  was  up  in  the  skies  with 
Edward  Irving,  or  plodding  in  metaphysics  with 
John  Duncan.     He   had  the   greatest  respect   for 


SAPHIR   ALWAYS  FRAGILE.  203 


Spurgeoii,  and  he  once  said  to  me,  "  Spurgeon  is  a 
genuine  article.  He  is  simple,  straight,  godly  ;  and 
has  not  been  led  astray  by  any  of  the  modern  fads." 

Like  many  a  great  man,  he  drew  you  out  in 
conversation,  and  polished  up  your  ideas  with  a 
brilliancy  that  made  you  wonder.  While  he  picked 
your  brains  he  taught  you  himself.  There  was  a 
raciness  about  his  conversations,  and  sometimes 
his  sermons,  that  was  charming  and  inimitable. 
He  had  as  much  fun  in  him  as  an  Irishman,  and  at 
times  with  as  lit4:le  restraint.  On  a  wet  night, 
when  his  congregation  was  small,  he  suddenly 
exclaimed,  "  My  brethren,  the  early  Christians  were 
fire-proof"  ;  and  then,  after  a  slight  pause,  with  a 
little  significant  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  he  added, 
"  The  Christians  of  to-day  are  not  even  water- 
proof." 

Some  of  his  great  admirers  thought  that  he 
might  have  worked  harder  than  he  did,  and  blamed 
his  wife  for  restraining  him.  My  own  opinion  is 
that  she  helped  to  keep  him  alive.  He  was  a  ver}' 
fragile  plant,  that  a  rough  wind  might  easily  blow 
away.  Moreover,  his  sensibilities  were  of  the  finest 
and  most  delicate  order,  and  he  felt  the  ordinary 
worries  and  oppositions  of  life,  in  an  injurious 
manner.  He  could  not  shake  them  otf,  as  more 
robust  natures  do.  After  writing  some  of  his 
sermons  he  was  perfectly  prostrate,  and  remained 
so  for  hours  together.  "  My  difficulty,"  he  told  me, 
"  does  not  lie  in  preparing  a  sermon,  but  in  getting 
into  a  right  spirit  to  preach  it." 


204     HIS  SWEET  AND   LOVING   DISPOSITION. 

His  real  nature  was  very  gentle,  and  his  sym- 
pathy with  sufferers  very  tender.  How  emotion 
swayed  him,  if  there  was  the  slightest  allusion  made 
to  his  only  child,  taken  from  him  when  so  young  ! 
What  he  thought  of  his  lost  one  underlies  the  many 
references  in  his  sermons  to  children.  The  love  for 
his  wife,  so  sweet  and  j^layful,  up  to  the  last,  was 
delightful  to  witness.  His  friendships  were  alike 
genuine  and  lasting.  He  was  a  John  in  his  love 
for  his  Master  and  the  whole  company  of  believers, 
because  like  John  he  was  always  laying  his  head 
upon  the  Saviour's  breast,  and  listening  to  the 
beating  of  His  great  heart  of  love  for  him,  and  for 
those  whom  the  Father  had  given  to  Him. 

Dr.  Saphir  told  me  that  as  a  Jewish  boy  he 
was  often  troubled  with  a  sense  of  sin.  More  than 
once  he  asked  the  Eabbi  what  he  was  to  do,  and 
invariably  received  answer  that  he  w^as  to  repent 
and  amend.  "  I  did  repent,  and  I  tried  to  amend," 
said  Saphir,  "  but  I  was  no  better.  How  could  1 
know  when  I  was  forgiven  ?  How  could  1  tell 
when  my  repentance  reached  the  stage  of  satis- 
faction '?  If  we  have  to  turn  in  upon  ourselves  to 
find  peace  of  conscience,  we  never  can  be  happy, 
for  we  never  can  find  it." 


There  had  been  every  encouragement  in  the 
Greenwich  ministry.  The  church  had  been  twice 
enlarged,  and  the  attendance  was  overflowing. 
Numbers  of  devoted  friends  had  gathered  around 


HIS    GREAT  SUCCESS   AS   A    PREACHER.     205 

him.     He  had  not  the  mere  success  of  a  popular 
preacher,  but  lie   aroused    deep   love   of  Scripture 
truth,  and    sent  many  to    read  their   Bibles  with 
care ;    for   he  threw  such   an   interest  around  the 
writers  and  writino^s  of   both  the   Old    and   New 
Testament,  that  they  seemed  to  have   a  different 
aspect.     His  sermons  and  addresses  were  listened 
to  with    rapt    interest,    and    greatly   blessed,  and 
thousands  have  retained  and  will   retain  the   im- 
pression of  them  to  their  dying  hour.     The  Jews 
have  in  recent  times  produced  many  able  preachers, 
as  the  Herschells,  Edersheim,  Schwartz,  but  none 
who  possessed  such  a  masterly  power  of  treating 
the     Scriptures     connectedly,     and     showing    the 
person     of     Jesus     revealed     not     only     in     the 
Gospels,  but    in    the    sublime    prophecies    of    old. 
There    was    a    sanctified    genius,    an    intellectual 
clearness,    a   terseness    of    expression,    a    glow   of 
spirit    which    commanded    attention   and    kindled 
enthusiasm.     People    sat    as   under  a  spell,   while 
with  calmness,  yet  glowing  expression,  in  his  deep 
penetrating  voice,  with  attitude  almost  unmoved, 
reading  as  it  were  on  his  finger-nails,  he  expressed 
with  such  brevity  and  force  the  sublime  thoughts  of 
the  Word  of  God.     jMen  and  women  were  not  only 
interested,  but  they  were  edified  and  built  up  in  the 
faith.    Almost  any  other  preaching,  though  eloquent, 
seemed    dull    and    pointless    to    those    accustomed 
to    hang   on  the  words  of   Saphir.     People  of  all 
churches  sathered  in  to  hear  him.     He  was  for  vears 
at  Greenwich,  stronger,  physically,  than  ever  after- 


20G  HIS   STRENGTH    OVEFxTAXED. 

wards,  and  lie  was  greatly  encouraged,  not  only  by 
the  numbers  attending  his  ministry,  but  by  the 
conversion  of  many,  and  the  acknowledged  building 
up  in  the  faith  of  vast  numbers. 

His  fame  had  spread,  and  whenever  he  appeared 
in  London  or  elsewhere,  he  attracted  large  audi- 
ences. But  he  had  not  been  engaged  in  this  work 
above  a  few  years  when  his  strength  began  to 
fail.  He  had  been  delicate  from  a  child,  always 
of  feeble  frame,  his  thinking  power  too  great 
for  his  slender  body.  And  now  he  was  taxed 
Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  and  week  after  week,  with  a 
variety  of  services — all  of  which  required  thorough 
preparation,  for  though  he  did  not  even  use  notes 
in  the  pulpit,  he  could  not  speak  extempore  nor 
vaguely.  His  speech  was  always  the  utterance  of 
intense  thought.  There  are  popular  preachers  and 
speakers  who  can  go  on  without  strain,  almost  ad 
infinitum,  whose  power  consists  in  j^leasing  the 
ear  and  gratif3dng  the  fancy,  wdiile  there  is  little 
thought.  Such  speakers  can  stand  almost  any 
amount  of  work,  for  there  is  no  great  effort  after  all. 
They  might  speak  or  preach  a  dozen  times  a  week, 
and  be  none  the  worse.  But  it  is  very  different  v/ith 
the  man  who  cannot  speak  without  close  thinking. 
People  often  fail  to  recognize  the  difference,  and 
press  such  men  on  to  illness  and  death.  The 
spirit  in  Saphir  was  willing.  He  was  stirred  up 
to  energy  by  the  blessing  resting  on  his  work, 
and  thanked  God  greatly  for  it.  But  he  could 
not  stand  the  strain,  and  he  never  fully  regained 


LEAVE   OF  ABSENCE  FOH   A    YEAR.         207 

the  physical  power  which  he  had  in  those  earlier 
days. 

During  his  latter  years  at  Greenwich,  after  his 
father's  death,  his  mother  and  his  sister  Jolianna 
resided  near  him.  He  hnd  not  seen  his  mother 
for  seventeen  years  previously,  and  it  was  a  great 
happiness  to  have  them  beside  him.  His  sister 
afterw^ards  married  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Schonberger, 
Jewish  missionary  in  Prague,  and  ]\Irs.  Saphir  lived 
with  her  daughter  till  her  death,  in  1879.  We 
refer  to  these  events  in  a  later  chapter. 

About  the  years  18GS-9  Saphir's  health  began 
seriously  to  suffer  from  the  strain  of  continuous 
work.  His  constitution  was  at  all  times  delicate, 
and  he  alw\ays  required  to  take  the  utmost  care. 
But  now  there  was  evident  necessity  for  rest  and 
change,  and  at  length  near  the  close  of  1870 
he  was  compelled  to  go  away  for  a  time.  His 
conoTeo'ation  at  Greenwich  acted  with  o-reat  kind- 
ness,  and  waited  for  him  for  nearly  a  year,  whilst 
he  remained  in  Switzerland,  chiefly  in  the  Enga- 
dine.  There  he  had  an  attack  of  gastric  fever. 
Writing  to  a  friend  whose  brother  was  recovering 
from  a  severe  illness,  at  a  later  period,  he  refers 
to  this:— 

''We  deeply  sympathize  with  you,  my  wife  especially, 
remembering  her  anxiety  when  I  had  gastric  fever  in  the 
Engadine,  of  which  my  remembrance  was  not  so  much  of 
anxiety,  as  of  an  indescribable  feeling  of  an  unearthly 
existence,  like  a  disembodied  yet  captive  spirit." 

After  his  recoverv  from  this  illness  he  had  much 


208     DELIGHTFUL    TIME  IN  THE  ENGADINE. 

enjoyment  of  liis  stay  in  Switzerland,  making  many 
friends,  and  frequently  preaching.  A  lady  friend 
who  met  with  them  at  this  time  writes  : — 

"  We  arrived  at  Pontresina  to  find  the  hotel  full.  As  we 
were  hesitating  what  to  do,  a  carriage  drove  up,  in  which 
we  were  delighted  to  find  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Saphir,  who  had 
come  from  Camphu  for  a  day's  picnic.  They  suggested 
that  we  should  join  them  at  Camphu,  and  we  drove  there 
at  once,  and  were  accommodated  with  two  small  rooms  in 
the  same  hotel.  We  spent  three  weeks  delightfully  together. 
The  nightly  gatherings  of  friends  and  acquaintances  in  Dr. 
Saphir's  room  are  a  pleasant  memory  of  bright  companion- 
ship, animated  conversation,  and  merry  laughter.  The  Rev. 
E.  W.  Moore,  then  of  Brunswick  Chapel,  Berkeley  Street, 
and  the  Rev.  G.  R.  Thornton  of  St.  Barnabas,  Kensington, 
were  among  the  visitors.  Dr.  Saphir  had  great  influence 
in  the  hotel,  and  much  was  made  of  him.  He  preached 
before  I  came,  and  the  church  was  crowded.'' 

He  went  to  Switzerland  in  November  1870,  and 
returned  in  October  1871.  On  resuming  his 
ministry,  he  said,  before  beginning  his  sermon  : — 
"  Dear  friends,  it  is  with  the  greatest  gratitude 
I  trust  that  this  morning  I  speak  with  you 
again  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Since  last  T 
was  with  you  I  have  experienced  both  the 
severity  and  the  goodness  of  the  Lord ;  above 
all  His  goodness  and  loving-kindness.  God  only 
knows  what  joy  I  have  in  speaking  to  you  again 
of  Him  who  is  the  King,  the  Truth,  and  the 
Life ;  of  the  only  salvation  which  in  this  life 
brings  peace  to  the  conscience,  and  in  the  world 
to  come  the  immediate  beholding  of  the  glory 
of  God.     During  these  months  that   I  have  been 


RESIGNS  HIS    CHARGE  AT    GREENWICH     200 

away,  I  have  seen  much  of  the  goodness  and 
continual  care  of  God,  entering  into  the  minutest 
details  of  life,  and  making  every  detail  an  out- 
come of  His  everlasting  love  with  which  He  has 
loved  us.  I  have  been  delivered  from  serious 
illness,  and  beyond  my  own  expectation  restored, 
so  that  I  am  able  to  take  part  at  least  of  the 
work  that  is  assigned  to  me  here." 

His  stay  at  Greenwich,  after  his  return,  was  not 
very  long.  Though  he  was  still  as  popular  as  ever, 
and  as  much  attached  to  his  people,  there  were 
various  influences  drawing  him  away.  He  himself 
23erhaps  felt  the  need  of  change,  which  is  often  new 
life  to  a  minister,  but  the  chief  cause  was  that,  since 
his  fame  had  spread  abroad,  there  had  been  a 
strong  desire,  on  the  part  of  numbers  of  readers  of 
his  works,  that  he  should  occupy  a  more  central 
position  in  London.  Great  influence  was  brought 
to  bear  upon  him  in  this  direction,  and  to  the  very 
deep  regret  of  his  congregation,  and .  with  great 
feeling  of  sadness,  he  determined  to  leave  in  the 
summer  of  1872. 

Mr.  Thomas  Stone,  who  was  one  of  the  most 
active  members  of  the  Greenwich  confijreo'ation, 
writes  in  regard  to  him  : — 

"  Dr.  Saphir  was  a  simple,  childlike  man,  of  great  intellect, 
and  a  most  lovable  nature.  One  thing  very  noticeable  in  him 
was  his  deep  humility.  He  was  full  of  Scripture  ;  and  our 
conversation  when  out  on  holiday  rambling  in  the  woods, 
would  usually  turn  upon  the  meaning  of  texts.  Dr.  Saphir 
would  say,  I  wonder  what  Paul  meant  when  he  wrote  so  and 
so, — himself  always  taking  the  place  of  the  inquirer,  seeking 


•210     niRD'S-EVK  VIEW  OF  GREENWICH  PERIOD. 

to   be   taught,    and    never   teaching.      This    was    due  to  his 
humility.     He  was  a  delightful  companion." 

He  himself  gives  a  bird's-eye  view  of  this 
Greenwich  period  : — 

"  I  was  called  to  St.  Mark's  English  Presbyterian  Church, 
Greenwich,  in  1861.  I  held  this  charge  for  over  eleven  years, 
and  my  labours  were  accompanied  by  visible  success.  The 
church  had  to  be  enlarged  twice  during  my  ministry,  and  the 
number  of  worshippers  increased  from  about  a  hundred  to  a 
thousand.  During  two  years  this  congregation  collected  £4000 
for  enlarging  the  building.  A  Sunday-school  and  classes  for 
young  men  and  w^omen  were  also  opened.  The  congregation 
was  very  active,  and,  during  the  time  I  ministered  there,  I 
had  the  satisfaction  of  collecting  .£20,000  for  Christ  and 
missionary  enterprises.  But  the  work  was  too  much  for  my 
feeble  frame.  I  preached,  on  the  average,  four  times  a  week, 
and  the  rest  of  my  time  was  fully  occupied  by  numerous 
pastoral  visits,  the  instruction  of  intending  communicants, 
and  by  addressing  public  meetings." 

Greenwich  ever  after  occupied  a  chief  place  in 
his  affections,  and  often,  in  times  of  depression  during 
]iis  latter  days,  did  it  gladden  him  to  visit  again 
the  scene  of  his  former  ministrv. 


2n 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

BEGINNING   OF   MINISTRY   IN  WEST   LONDON. 

Purchase  for  him  of  a  large  Church  at  Notting  Hill — Money 
obtained  easily — Church  at  once  filled — Members  of  all 
Churches  join  —  His  Thursday  Lectures  attended  by 
numerous  Clergy  and  other  Persons  of  Influence — Liberal 
Supporters  of  the  Work — Great  activity  of  the  Congrega- 
tion— Call  to  Scotland — Moody  and  Sankey's  Visit  to 
London. 

IT  had  been  felt  for  years  by  a  numlier  of  Saphir's 
admirers  that  he  ought  to  be  in  West  London. 
His  books,  especially  Christ  and  the  Scriptures^ 
had  brought  him  into  contact  with  many  who 
recognized  him  as  one  of  the  ablest  expositors 
and  most  powerful  preachers  of  the  day.  A  move- 
ment w^as  therefore  made  to  get  him  to  the  west  of 
London.  A  large  church,  which  had  recently  been 
built  on  speculation  in  Kensington  Park  Eoad, 
Notting  Hill,  had  come  into  the  market.  Many 
persons  in  the  neighbourhood  were  prepared,  it  was 
known  from  a  previous  movement,  to  join  any 
congregation  of  which  Saphir  might  become 
minister.  Mr.  James  E.  Mathieson  took  up  the 
matter  with  his  usual  energ;y  and  zeal.     He  had  to 


212  BEGINS    WEST  LONDON  MINISTRY. 

raise  nearly  £10,000.  He  personally  visited  many, 
and  was  astonished  at  the  heartiness  with  which 
the  appeal  was  responded  to.  Many  others  took 
an  active  part  in  collecting,  and  soon  the  money 
was  raised. 

Saphirs  ministry  was  welcomed  from  the  be- 
oinning  by  people  of  all  churches,  especially  by 
earnest  Christians.  He  began  his  work  in  the 
autumn  of  1872,  with  services  in  the  Ladbroke 
Hal],  as  the  building  which  had  been  purchased 
had  to  undergo  extensive  alterations.  When  the 
church  was  opened  in  March  1873,  it  was  soon 
filled  to  overflowinoj — thous^h  it  held  above  1000. 
Members  of  the  Church  of  Endand,  CouOTeo-ation- 
alists,  Baptists,  Plymouth  Brethren,  and  others,  as 
well  as  Presbyterians,  crowded  together  to  hear  this 
son  of  Israel  expound  the  Word  of  God. 

It  is  rumoured  that  about  this  time  Saphir  was 
sounded  indirectly  as  to  becoming  one  of  the  Court 
Chaplains  of  the  venerable  Emperor  of  Germany. 

One  who  was  long  associated  with  Dr.  Saphir, 
l)oth  at  Greenwich  and  Notting  Hill,  writes  thus 
in  regard  to  the  early  Notting  Hill  period  : — 

"When  first  Dr.  Saphir  came  to  Xotting  Hill,  his  church 
was  soon  thronged  with  people  drawn  thither  by  his  ministry 
from  all  sorts  of  churches  and  chapels.  Sunday  after  Sunday 
every  seat  was  filled,  and  the  interest  of  his  hearers  never 
abated,  however  long  the  discourse. 

"  When  he  began  his  Thursday  morning  lectures,  the  con- 
gregations were  also  large  and  appreciative,  and  they  were 
steadily  maintained,  as  long  as  his  health  permitted  him  to 
continue  them.     The  lectures  on  the  Gospel  of  John  (not  yet 


LETTER    ON  THE  NOTTING   HILL    PERIOD.     213 

published)  were  especially  beautiful,  and  the  remembrance  of 
those  many  happy  mornings  will  long  remain.  One  of  Dr. 
Saphir's  chief  characteristics  was  his  intense  simplicity.  His 
language,  always  good  and  fluent,  was  generally  pure  Saxon, 
and  this  made  his  addresses  to  children  so  attractive  and 
interesting.  He  was  peculiarly  fond  of  children,  and  shone 
most  perhaps  in  his  children's  services — when  some  beautiful 
Bible  story  was  filled  with  life  and  interest,  and  eternal 
realities  were  impressed  on  their  young  minds. 

"He  was  also  very  full  of  fun  and  humoui-,  and  greatly 
enjoyed  an  amusing  story  or  a  good  joke, — and  many  droll 
things  he  would  say  wdth  an  archness  that  was  quite  his  own. 
In  almost  all  his  letters  to  me  when  absent  from  home,  there 
are  most  droll  allusions  to  things  and  people,  which  those  who 
knew  him  less  would  have  scarcely  guessed  him  capable  of 
M'riting  !  But  for  sacred  and  Divine  things  he  had  the  most 
intense  reverence,  and  anything  that  savoured  of  flippancy  or 
undue  familiarity  was  to  him  most  repugnant. 

"Almost  the  last  time  I  saw  him  we  were  talking  of  the 
readiness  of  Christians  to  be  attracted  and  distracted  by 
sensational  methods  of  w^ork,  and  meetings,  which  he  w^as 
greatly  deploring,  when  he  suddenly  looked  up  and  said, 
'  Well,  what  are  we  all  coming  to,  we  Christians  ? '  I  said, 
*  I  cannot  tell ! '  '  Oh  ! '  he  replied  w^ith  his  drollest  expression, 
'  blue  ribbon  and  a  tambourine  !  that  is  English  Chi-istianity.' 

"But  one's  memory  lingers  most  over  his  looiiderful  ser- 
mons, that  were  such  unfoldings  of  the  things  of  God ;  the 
inexhaustible  mine  of  wealth  he  found  in  a  single  text.  I 
remember  six  consecutive  sermons  on  the  verse,  *  Unto  Him 
that  loved  us,'  &c.,  and  each  one  seemed  fuller  than  the  pre- 
ceding one,  of  the  person  and  works  of  Christ,  and  the  glory 
of  the  Redeemer.  Dr.  Saphir  had,  as  a  Christian  Israelite,  a 
grasp  of  Scripture,  and  of  the  purposes  and  mind  of  God 
revealed  therein,  quite  different  to  an  ordinary  Gentile  mind. 
To  him  the  Lord's  Incarnation  and  Crucifixion  were  such  a 
revelation  of  God,  as  we  can  hardly  understand,  who  have  been 
told  the  wonderful  facts  from  our  infancy.  He  often  wondered 
at  people's  questions  about  faith,  and  whether  or  not  they  had 
the  right    kind,  or  the  right  amount;   whereas,  the  One  in 


2U  LETTER    TO   LADY   KINLOGH    ON 


whom  to  believe,  was  to  him  the  only  necessity  for  the  soul — 
all  else  was  easy  and  simple.  Nothing,  I  think,  distressed  or 
depressed  him  so  much  as  his  hearers  failing  to  be  instructed, 
or  even  interested  in  his  sermons,  or  their  seizing  on  some 
minute  point,  carping  at  it,  and  criticizing  something  utterly 
unimportant.  Every  sermon  was  to  him  a  living  organism, 
with  its  proper  parts  and  proportions ;  and  to  pull  it  to  pieces 
was  to  destroy  its  symmetry  and  beauty,  and  to  strip  it  of  all 
its  meaning. 

"  With  what  joy  he  always  welcomed  the  Lord's  Day,  and 
rejoiced  especially  in  the  remembrance  of  His  death  in  the 
Lord's  Supper  !  Some  of  Dr.  Saphir's  most  heart-stirring  and 
touching  addresses  were  those  delivered  on  Communion  Sun- 
days ;  and  the  Hoj)e  of  the  Lord's  return  was  one  of  his  most 
soul-refreshing  themes.  But  I  must  not  enlarge  on  the  many 
topics  such  memories  recall. 

"I  cannot  convey  the  impression  his  wonderful  expositions 
of  Scripture  have  left  on  my  own  heart  and  mind  ;  I,  amongst 
others,  will  ever  have  to  thank  God  for  his  ministry,  while  we 
deeply  deplore  his  loss." 

Ill  letters  to  Lady  Kiiilocli,  be  thus  describes  the 
progress  at  Nottiiig  Hill,  after  he  had  been  a  year 
or  two  settled  there  : — 

"  We  have  been  busy,  and  there  has  been  the  usual  variety 
of  bright  and  gloomy,  which  must  be  in  every  life,  and 
perhaps  more  so  in  a  minister's.  But  I  think  we  have  more 
room  foi'  thankfulness  and  hope  than  in  any  previous  years. 

"  We  have  both  been  much  better  this  winter,  and  I  have 
been  without  an  assistant,  and  preaching  three  times  a  week. 
The  church  is  progressing  well,  and  I  am  beginning  to  feel 
settled.  The  Scotch  call  ^  was  very  unintelligible  to  English 
people,  who  think  every  little  congregation  a  complete  little 
kingdom.  I  should  have  liked  Edinburgh  for  many  reasons. 
But  it  was  not  to  be. 


^  From  St.  Luke's  Eree  Church,  Edinburgh,  to  be  colleague 


to  Dr.  Moody  Stewart. 


HIS   PROGRESS  AT  NOTTING   HILL.  215 


"Have  you  seen  my  Hebrews?  I  am  now  going  to  take  a 
long  rest  from  publishing :  though  I  am  often  asked  to 
publish  my  lectures  on  the  Gospel  of  John.  But  it  is  too 
laborious,  and  I  have  too  many  books  out.  There  is  so 
little  time  for  reading.  How  wonderfully  the  Pearsall  Smith 
movement  collapsed !  We  need  a  time  of  repose  in  the 
churches,  for  quiet  meditation  and  study  of  the  dear,  simple, 
and  wholesome  Scriptures.  How  safe  and  peaceful  it  is 
to  listen  to  the  voice  of  the  Good  Shepherd  in  His  Word ! 
I  have  been  very  much  living  the  last  few  weeks  on  that 
passage,  John  xiv.  22,  23 :  '  We  are  not  of  the  world, 
even  as  Christ  is  not  of  the  world.'  It  is  not  a  self-made 
separation,  but  of  God,  and  by  the  cross  of  Christ  and  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  us.  Oar  fears  and  our  knowledge  and  our 
whole  life  have  a  lieavenly  origin  and  character,  and  the 
end  wall  be  to  be  glorified  together  with  Christ.  If  we  get 
thoroughly  and  deeply  into  these  most  blessed  truths,  w^e 
shall  have  wisdom  and  strength  for  all  the  various  circum- 
stances of  life.  I  sometimes  feel  that  I  have  a  very  easy 
path  in  many  respects,  that  is  Avitli  regard  to  the  world. 
I  am  very  glad  of  human  beings,  but  not  of  society,  and  I 
would  have  made  a  very  good  monk  (that  is  with  Sara). 
Also  my  work,  as  I  view  it,  does  not  oblige  me  to  go  outside 
it.  But  I  can  understand  to  some  extent  the  difficulties  of 
others.  Yet  I  think  the  path  will  be  made  clear  to  all, 
who  are  anxious  to  hold  fast  the  most  imjDortant,  heavenly, 
end  of  the  cord.  I  fear  these  remarks  are  not  definite. 
Enough  that  it  would  be  too  long  a  subject  to  write  upon. 

"  We  are  going  to  have  our  annual  meeting  in  a  fortnight, 
and  start  clear  of  all  debts.  About  £12,000  have  been  raised 
in  three  years.  We  have  some  very  dear  people.  Our 
Thursdays  are  very  largely  attended,  and  there  are  always 
some  encouraging  cases.  The  only  thing  I  don't  like  is  the 
amount  of  business.  The  heterogeneous  character  of  the 
congregation  is  perhaps  an  advantage.  I  am  less  '  chm'chy ' 
every  day  ;  but  could  not  be  cramped  by  the  Darby  standard. 
But  it  must  be  very  pleasant  when  circumstances  justify 
your  joining  a  small  circle  of  devoted  and  simple  Christians. 

"...  We  had  a  charming  visit  from  dear  Mr.  Stevensoi- 


21 G  LETTERS    OF  SYMPATHY 

of  Dublin.    He  is  like  his  book — praying  and  working,  and  the 
best  specimen  going.    I  am  blessed  with  many  good  friends." 

He  writes  again  to  the  same  lady  : — 

"I  trust  that  long  before  this  you  have  been  freed  from 
all  anxiety  about  your  brother's  recovery,  and  that  Sir  K. 
is  regaining  strength.  We  sympathized  deeply  with  you. 
What  a  winter  of  trouble  this  has  been  !  We  have  seen 
so  much  that  is  sad,  in  our  immediate  circle  here.  Dear 
Mr.  Wingate  lost  his  eldest  daughter  under  very  painful 
circumstances,  though  the  best  of  all  consolations  is  his,  for 
she  died  in  the  faith.  ...  I  hope  your  health  and  strength 
continue  good,  and  I  often  pray  that  you  may  have  much 
inward  peace,  and  that  the  Lord  may  remove  all  that  causes 
you  anxiety.  And  yet,  as  the  Germans  say,  das  Hebe  Kreuz, 
the  dear  cross.  No  doubt  our  afflictions  and  trials  are  signs 
that  God  has  not  forgotten  us,  but  is  educating  us  in 
Fatherly  love  (Heb.  xii.).  I  have  felt  of  late  years  constantly 
drawn  to  those  passages  of  Scripture  which  teach  the  mystery 
of  our  fellowship  with  Christ  in  suffering,  or  rather  fellowship 
of  His  suft'erings,  and  sometimes  hope  that  I  am  beginning 
really  to  rejoice  in  Christ,  though  I  am  often  ashamed  at 
being  so  depressed  and  feeling  so  disappointed.  The  return 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  our  being  glorified  together  with  Him 
(if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  Him),  this  true  and  lively  hope 
seems  to  me  like  a  star,  which  is  not  seen  in  the  garish  light 
of  prosperity  and  a  smooth  course,  but  only  in  the  stillness 
of  sorrow,  or  at  least  of  a  chastened,  crucified  condition.  I 
think  this  is  one  reason  why  the  Church  lost  this  hope,  after 
the  first  ages  of  martyrdom,  and  why  now-a-days  it  so  often 
degenerates  into  a  mere  sentimental  speculation, — a  pious 
Zeltvertreih. 

"  We  hear  of  scarcely  anything  else  just  now  but  IMoody 
and  Sankey.  There  seems  indeed  a  wonderful  amount  of 
interest  and  earnestness  in  their  meetings.  I  have  not  yet 
been  able  to  go.  My  dear  friends,  Mr.  Stone  and  Mr. 
Mathieson,  are  the  chief  promoters  of  the  movement. 

"I  have  preached  lately  only  once  on  Sunday,  and  also 
on  Thursday.     The  church  has  suffered  from  my  not  being 


TO   LADY  KINLOCH.  I'lr 


there  on  Sunday  evenings  ;  but  still  it  has  made  good  progress. 
1  cannot  reconcile  myself  with  the  idea  ot"  an  assistant,  but 
i  fear  it  is  necessary.  It  makes  mo  feel  very  old  and 
useless." 

Ill  II  letter  to  the  same,  written  alicr  liur  serious 
illness,  he  says  : — 

"  We  felt  very  sad  and  anxious  whun  your  kind  nolo  told 
us  how  ill  you  had  been,  and  especially  how  much  surrovv- 
you  had  come  through.  We  trust  you  will  bOon  Ije  better ; 
but  do  dismiss  all  sad  thoughts,  and  wait  (juietly,  and  after 
these  clouds  God  will  send  again  sunshine.  These  trials  are 
very  hard  to  bear  for  anxious  and  affectionate  hearts.  But 
we  possess  the  sympathy  of  One  who  passed  through  every 
phase  of  sorrow,  and  who  felt  deeply  wounded  in  His  spirit 
by  every  kind  of  sad  experience  among  men.  From  Him 
we  can  not  only  learn,  but  obtain  grace,  to  commit  all  things 
into  the  hands  of  our  faithful  Father,  and  to  keep  the  heart 
meek  and  in  the  attitude  of  forbearing  and  forgiving  love. 
God  will  guide  and  God  will  justify  those  who  trust  in  Him 
and  walk  uprightly.  Sooner  or  later  He  brings  it  to  light, 
and  makes  all  acknowledge  it.  I  trust  and  pray  that  He 
may  quiet  and  comfort  your  heart  and  bear  you  up,  renewing 
your  strength  according  to  that  dear  promise  (Isaiah  xl.  31). 

"  I  have  been  dwelling  much  upon  the  humanity  and 
sympathy  of  Christ  (in  connection  with  Matt.  iv.  and  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews).  How  comforting  it  is  for  us  to 
remember  that  the  Saviour  had  true  and  real  difficulties, 
sorrows,  and  struggles ;  that  He  also  lived  by  faith ;  that 
His  tears  and  prayers  were  the  expression  of  real  grief, 
weakness,  and  dependence  !  Thus  is  He  now  as  the  High 
Priest  who  is  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmity." 

In  a  letter  to  another  friend,  he  speaks  of  a  visit 
to  Dublin  : — 

''I  spoke  last  Sunday  evening  to  Mr.  Stevenson's  people, 
He   is  such  a  dear  man,  and  more  dear  to  me  each  time  I 

r 


218  .4    PlW^PEROUi^    TIME. 

«ee    him.      We   are    delighted   with    the  youug    people  here ; 
and  it  is  a  great  pleasure  to  renew  friendships." 

He  writes  to  the  same  friend  on  the  hist  day  of 
the  year : — 

*'  We  are  making  good  progress,  though  nothing  brilliant. 
Last  Sunday  we  had  another  children's  service.  The  church 
was  crowded  in  every  -^iivi,  nearly  all  children.  It  was  a 
very  fine  sight.  The  children  behaved  beautifully.  We  had 
another  Jewish  bajDtism.  I  am  sorry  to  say  the  first  Jew 
who  was  influenced  by  Moody  has  relapsed  into  unbelief. 
We  are  very  much  grieved,  and  must  continue  praying  for 
his  restoration  and  conversion.  1  fear  there  is  much  super- 
ticial  work  at  meetings,  and  too  great  hurry  to  get  people 
to  say  they  have  peace;  also  comforting  people  who  have 
no  sorrow  or  burden." 

Tlie  congregation,  as  it  does  to  this  day,  con- 
tained a  large  pro^^ortion  of  active  workers,  and 
its  influence  was  soon  felt  among  the  poor  and 
neglected  in  the  neighbourhood.  Dr.  Saphir  was 
greatly  encouraged,  but  still  it  Avas  evident  from 
the  beginning  that  he  had  not  the  physical  strength 
of  his  earlier  Greenwich  ])eriod,  and  that  he  was 
not  equal  to  the  unremitting  labour  which  many 
of  his  friends,  in  their  admiration  and  zeal,  expected 
from  him. 


•Jl9 


CHAPTER   XX. 

LECTUKES   OX    THE   HEBREWS   AND   THE   DIVINITY 
OF   CHRIST. 

Majestic  Style  of  the  Epistle — Its  Central  Idea — The  Glory 
of  the  IS'evv  Covenant — Christ  and  Moses — The  High- 
Priesthood  of  Christ — Alleged  Priesthood  of  the  Clergy — 
Pauline  Authorship — Lecture  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ — 
Jewish  Difficulties — Personal  Testimony. 

WE  have  referred  to  the  Thursday  morniug 
Lectures  on  Hebrews,  delivered  in  the 
winters  of  1873-74  and  1874-75,  which  were 
attended  by  numbers  of  clergymen,  professional 
men,  and  other  persons  of  influence.  This  was  the 
greatest  triumph  of  his  career.  In  these  lectures 
he  traced  out  with  great  power,  and  often  origin- 
ality, the  close  connection  of  the  Old  and  the  New 
Testament  dispensations.  We  think  it  right,  there- 
fore, as  illustrating  his  method  of  thinking  and 
teaching,  to  give  a  rapid  glance  at  the  main 
positions. 

"  We  arc,"  he  says  in  the  introduction,  "attracted 
and  riveted  by  the  majestic  and  Sabbatic  style 
of  this  Epistle.     Nowhere  in  the  New  Testament 


220  LECTURES    UN   THE  HEBREWS. 

writings  do  we  meet  language  of  such  euphony 
and  rhythm.  A  pecuHar  solemnity  and  anticipation 
of  eternity  breathes  in  these  pages.  The  glow 
and  flow  of  language,  the  stateliness  and  fullness 
of  diction,  are  but  an  external  manifestation  of 
the  marvellous  depth  and  glory  of  spiritual  truth 
into  which  the  apostolic  author  is  eager  to  lead 
his  brethren.  The  Epistle  reminds  us,  in  tliis 
respect,  of  the  latter  portion  of  the  prophet  Isaiah 
— a  suggestion,  says  Dr.  Saphir  in  a  note,  made  by 
Delitzsch, — in  which,  out  of  the  abundance  of  an 
enraptured  heart,  flows  such  a  mighty  and  beau- 
tiful stream  of  consoling  revelations.  In  both 
Scriptures  we  behold  the  glory  which  dwelleth  in 
Immanuel's  land ;  we  breathe  the  Sabbatic  air  of 
Messiah's  perfect  peace.  Both  possess  the  same 
massiveness ;  both  describe  things  which  are  real 
and  substantial,  the  beauty  and  strength  of  which 
is  eternal ;  in  both  is  the  same  intensity  of  love, 
and  the  same  comprehensiveness  of  vision." 

"  The  central  idea  of  the  Epistle  is  the  glory  of 
the  New  Covenant,  contrasted  with  and  excelling 
the  glory  of  the  old  dispensation ;  and  while  this 
idea  is  developed  in  a  systematic  manner,  the  aim 
of  the  writer  throughout  is  eminently  and  directly 
practical.  Everywhere  his  object  is  exhortation. 
He  never  loses  sight  of  the  dangers  and  wants  of 
his  brethren.  The  application  to  conscience  and 
life  is  never  forgotten.  It  is  rather  a  sermon  than 
an  exposition.     Thus  the  writer  himself  describes 


THE  FIRST   FOUR    VERSES.  221 


the  aim  of  his  letter,  and  thus  the  Apostle  Peter, 
writing  to  the  same  Hebrew  Christians,  refers  to 
our  book  when  he  says,  '  iVnd  account  that  the 
long-suffering  of  our  Lord  is  salvation  ;  even  as  our 
beloved  brother  Paul  also,  according  to  the  wisdom 
given  unto  him,  hath  written  unto  you;  " 

At  the  close  of  the  series  he  has  a  chapter 
strongly,  and  we  think  almost  conclusively,  deciding 
for  the  Pauline  authorship  of  the  Epistle. 

In  his  first  Lecture  he  considers  that  the  first 
four  verses  contain  as  it  were  an  epitome  of  the 
whole  Epistle.  ''  Beautiful  is  the  night,  in  which 
the  moon  and  the  stars  of  prophecy  and  types  are 
shining ;  but  when  the  sun  rises,  then  we  forget 
the  hours  of  watchful  expectancy,  and  in  the  calm 
and  joyous  light  of  day  there  is  revealed  to  us  the 
reality  and  substance  of  the  eternal  and  heavenly 
sanctuary.*'  "  The  Father  is  the  Author  of  revela- 
tion in  both  (Old  Testament  and  New).  The 
Messiah  is  the  substance  and  centre  of  the  revela- 
tion in  both.  The  glory  of  God's  Name  in  a  people 
brought  nigh  unto  Him  to  love  Him  and  to  worship 
Him,  is  the  end  in  the  revelation  in  both.  Luther 
compares  them  to  the  men  carrying  the  branch 
with  the  cluster  of  grapes.  They  were  both  bearing 
the  same  precious  fruit ;  but  one  of  them  saw  it  not. 
The  other  saw  both  the  fruit  and  the  man  who  was 
helping  him.  Both  Old  and  New  Testaments  are 
of  God ;  the  New  Testament,  as  the  Church-father 
Augustine  said,  is  enfolded  in  the  Old,  and  the  Old 


222  CIIIUST  THE  LORD    OF  ALL. 

Testament  is  enfolded  in  the  New.  '  In  vetere 
Testamento  Novum  latet,  in  Novo  vetus  patet.' " 
Thus  contrasting  the  messenger  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment with  the  Messenger  of  the  New,  he  shows 
what  is  implied  in  the  description  of  the  latter. 
"  It  is  of  the  Incarnate  Son  of  God  that  the  Apostle 
speaks ;  and  showing  unto  us  His  glory,  he  leads 
us,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  end  of  all  history ;  He 
is  appointed  the  Heir  of  all  things :  (2)  to  the 
beginning  of  all  history ;  in  Him  God  made  the 
ages  :  (3)  before  all  history ;  He  is  the  brightness 
of  His  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  His  person  : 
(4)  throughout  all  history  ;  He  upholdeth  all  things 
by  the  word  of  Plis  power."  ''  Christ  is  Lord  of  all. 
The  whole  universe  centres  in  Him.  A  star  appears 
at  the  time  of  Messiah's  advent.  The  sun  loses  his 
splendour  when  Jesus  Christ  dies  upon  the  cross. 
There  shall  be  ag^ain  wonders  and  si  mis  in  the 
heavens  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  power. 
In  the  material  world  we  know  that  there  have 
been  many  and  great  cycles  of  development.  And 
both  science  and  revelation  lead  us  to  look  forward 
to  a  new  earth.  It  is  the  Lord  Jesus  who  shall 
make  all  things  new,  and  all  developments  are 
borne  up  and  moved  by  the  word  of  His  power. 
Oh  !  I  know  that  the  general  conception  that  the 
world  has  of  Jesus  is,  that  He  is  Lord  of  a  spiritual 
realm,  of  thought  and  sentiment.  Bishop  and  Head 
of  ministers  and  pastors  for  edifying  souls  !  But 
the  world  does  not  know  that  He  is  moving  all 
things  by  the  word  of  His  power ;  that  all  politics, 


ABOVE   THE  ANGELS. 


all  statesmanship,  all  history,  all  physics,  all  arts, 
all  sciences,  everything  that  is — all  that  has  sub- 
stance, truth,  beauty,  all  things  apart  from  the 
cancer  of  sin  which  has  attached  itself  to  it,  consist 
by  Jesus  the  Son  of  God."  "  Sin  has  brought  PTim 
down  from  heaven.  Our  defilement  has  drawn 
Him  horn  the  height  of  His  glory.  Oh,  what  an 
expression  ! — what  a  climax  !  '  Who,  being  the 
brightness  of  His  glory,  and  the  express  image  of 
His  person,  and  upholding  all  things  by  the  word 
of  His  power,  when  He  had  by  Himself  jp?t7;^6c/  oiiv 

He  considers  the  might  of  the  angels,  and  yet 
Jesus'  infinite  exaltation  above  them.  "  Angels  are 
connected  not  merely  with  salvation  and  with  the 
spiritual  kingdom  of  God,  but  with  all  the  kingdom 
of  God,  with  all  physical  phenomena.  There  was 
an  earthquake  at  His  resurrection.  Why  ?  Because 
angels  had  rolled  away  the  stone.  The  Pool  of 
Siloam  had  miraculous  power,  *for  an  angel  came 
down  at  certain  seasons  and  troubled  the  water,' 
and  endowed  it  with  healing  power.  The  angels 
carry  on  every  development  in  nature.  God  does 
not  move  and  rule  the  world  merely  by  laws  and 
principles,  by  unconscious  and  inanimate  powers, 
but  by  living  beings  full  of  light  and  love.  His 
angels  are  like  flames  of  fire  ;  they  have  charge 
over  the  winds,  and  the  earth,  and  the  trees,  and 
the  sea.  Through  the  angels  He  carries  on  the 
oovernment  of  the  world,      And  these  angels  whom 


224  CHRIST  AND  MOSES. 

God  has  made  so  glorious,  who  excel  in  strength, 
hearken  to  the  voice  of  His  commandment,  and 
obey  Him,  while  they  in  worship  continually  behold 
the  countenance  of  the  Father.  .  .  .  Now,  glorious 
as  the  angels  are,  they  are  in  subjection  to  Jesus  as 
man ;  for  in  His  human  nature  God  has  enthroned 
Him  above  all  things.  Their  relation  to  Jesus 
fixes  also  their  relation  to  us.  In  a  great  house 
there  may  be  many  servants  who  are  honoured, 
trusted,  and  lieloved ;  ])ut  the  position  of  the  little 
child  who  is  the  heir  is  different,  though  as  yet  he 
is  inferior  in  knowledge,  strength,  and  attainments." 

In  the  second  section  of  the  Epistle,  extending 
from  the  beginning  of  the  third  chapter  to  the 
fourteenth  verse  of  the  fourth  chapter,  Christ  the 
Lord  is  contrasted  with  Moses  the  servant.  In 
many  respects  Moses  was  a  type  of  Jesus.  Both 
were  threatened  as  infants  by  cruel  rulers,  and  both 
were  marvellously  sheltered  by  the  living  God. 
Moses  was  the  mediator,  and  spoke  with  God  face 
to  face.  He  revealed  the  covenant  of  God  with 
Israel.  But  Jesus  was  the  builder  of  the  house  ; 
the  preparer  even  of  Moses  for  his  mission  and 
work. 

The  third  section  of  the  Epistle,  extending  from 
the  fifth  chapter  to  the  thirty-ninth  verse  of  the 
tenth  chapter,  sets  forth  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
High  Priest  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  greater 
than  the  Aaronic  priesthood.     We  note  one  or  two 


WHO  ABE   THOSE    WHO    "FALL   AWAY?"    225 

passages  of  special  interest.  Speaking  of  the 
verses  which  have  often  caused  much  difficulty  and 
anxiety, — "  It  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once 
enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift, 
and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
have  tasted  the  good  Word  of  Grod,  and  the  powers 
of  the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to 
renew  them  again  to  repentance," — he  says  in  a 
note: — ''This  warning  does  not  refer  to  isolated 
sins,  but  to  a  protracted  and  habitual  condition  of 
mind,  and  to  neglect  and  disbelief  of  truths  once 
recognized  and  confessed  ;  and  it  places  before  us  the 
result  of  a  series  of  unfaithful  and  wilful  rejections 
of  spiritual  influences  and  privileges.  Many  humble 
and  timid  Christians  have  misunderstood  the  whole 
scope  and  purport  of  this  passage.  He  who  judges 
himself  is  not  judged.  The  man  who  fears  always 
is  safe,  because  he  trusts  in  the  living  God  and 
Saviour.  But,  as  we  know  from  Scripture,  and, 
alas !  also  from  experience,  there  are  some  who 
appear  to  the  Church  to  be  zealous  and  true 
Christians,  and  who  yet  have  not  received  the 
Word  in  a  good  heart,  and  by  and  by  fall  away. 
Such  men  are  in  a  most  deplorable  condition. 
Their  antipathy  to  truths  once  known  and  professed 
is  very  great,  and  different  from  the  apathy  of  the 
worldly ;  theirs  is  a  bitter  and  subtle  hostility. 
Yet  even  their  case  should  not  be  received  by  us 
as  hopeless ;  but  we  should  pray  for  them,  that 
God  may  give  unto  them  true  repentance  and 
living  faith.     The  wilful  and  conscious  rejection  of 


■22G     ALLEGED   miESTIIOOD    OF   THE   CLEROY. 

the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  another  subject, 
and  not  spoken  of  in  this  passage."  "  The  Apostle 
dealt  only  with  appearances  and  impulses,  and  not 
the  spiritual  life,  and  does  not  teach  the  possibility 
of  falling  away  from  the  faith." 

In  commenting  on  the  tenth  chapter,  he  refers  to 
the  alleged  priesthood  of  the  clergy  and  priestly  cere- 
monies. "  While  the  temple  stood,  Jesus  and  the 
Apostles  honoured  the  temple.  The  Lord  said  unto 
the  leper,  '  Show  thyself  unto  the  priest.'  He  and 
His  Apostles  went  daily  into  the  temple.  Aftei" 
His  resurrection,  and  while  the  gospel  was  being 
preached  to  Israel,  the  temple  services  and  ordin- 
ances may  have  been  blessed  to  souls,  as  images 
and  prophecies  of  the  heavenly  realities.  But  any 
imitation  of  the  Levitical  dispensation  in  the  present 
day  must  needs  be  contrary  to  God's  mind,  and 
obscure  the  clear  revelation  in  Christ  Jesus.  The 
expression  '  priest,'  in  the  sense  of  Upsdg^  applied  to 
a  Christian  minister,  can  in  no  wise  be  defended. 
The  expression  '  consecration,'  as  applied  to  build- 
ings, ought  also  to  be  given  up,  and  with  the 
expression  every  remnant  of  the  old  leaven,  which 
attaches  some  kind  of  sanctity  to  any  place.  Sacred 
places  there  are  none  now.  We  never  read  of  the 
Apostolic  Christians  going  to  Bethlehem,  when^ 
Jesus  was  born ;  or  to  Golgotha,  where  He  died  ; 
or  to  the  garden,  where  He  rose  ;  or  the  ]\Iount 
of  Olives,  where  He  ascended  ;  or  to  the  temple 
chamber  in  which  the  Pentecostal  oift  was  received. 


'  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together ' — there, 
because  and  wher/  they  are  gathered  together  in 
the  Name  of  Jesus ;  wherever  we  worship  in  spirit 
and  truth,  there  and  then  we  may  say.  How  dread- 
ful is  this  place  !  This  view  does  not  in  the  least 
affect  the  necessity  and  desirability  of  having 
spacious,  suitable,  and  attractive  buildings  set  apart 
for  the  meeting  of  God's  people,  and  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  Here  is  a  proper  field  for  Christian 
liberality,  and  also  for  architectural  skill.  How 
much  inclined  are  men  to  welcome  everything 
which  does  not  reveal  to  them  their  true  condition, 
and  bring  them  into  the  very  presence  of  God  ! 
Priesthood,  vestments,  consecrated  buildings,  sym- 
bols, and  observances,  all  place  Christ  at  a  great 
distance,  and  cover  the  true  sinful  and  guilty  state 
of  the  heart,  wdiich  has  not  been  brought  nigh  by 
the  Blood  of  Christ." 

We  have  noticed  the  discussion  of  the  Pauline 
authorship  of  the  Hebrews.  We  may  again  refer 
to  it.  In  summing  up  the  arguments,  he  notes  that 
the  only  ancient  tradition  points  to  the  Apostle 
Paul  as  the  writer.  The  presumption  is  strongly 
in  favour  of  the  Apostle  when  we  remember  his 
great  love  to  Israel,  his  profound  knowledge  of  the 
Scriptures,  his  power  of  adaptation  to  be  a  Jew  to 
Jews.  Then  another  likely  author  has  been  sug- 
gested— Appllos  ;  and  Luke  has  been  also  suggested. 
But  there  is  a  fervour  and  force,  a  sustained  energy 
both  of  thought  and  feeling  in  the  Epistle,  which 


228        PAULINE   AUTHORSHIP    OF  EPISTLE. 

we  do  not  find  anywhere  but  in  the  writings  of 
Paul.  Then  there  are  the  earnest  and  affectionate 
exhortations,  with  whicli  he  interrupts  his  argument, 
as  if  he  could  not  restrain  his  yearning  and  anxious 
love.  There  are  many  expressions  peculiar  to  Paul, 
and  the  view  of  Christ — the  very  opening  verses 
on  the  glory  of  the  Son,  for  instance — bears  a 
most  striking  resemblance  to  many  passages  in  the 
Pauline  Epistles.  If  we  look  at  the  concluding 
chapter,  the  personal  messages  and  requests  can  only 
be  attributed  to  Paul.  Stier  asked  justly:  Who 
but  Paul  could  write  thus  to  Jewish  Christians, 
without  giving  his  name,  and  yet  pre-supposing 
both  their  acquaintance  and  brotherly  relation,  so 
as  to  ask  their  intercession,  and  also  some  suspicion 
and  hesitation,  against  which  he  thinks  it  necessary 
to  appeal  to  his  conscience  ?  Only  Paul  could  write 
thus  about  "  brother  Timothy  "  as  his  companion 
and  assistant.  Though  the  question  is  still  much 
disputed,  the  internal  arguments  seem  to  be  over- 
whelming in  favour  of  the  authorship  of  Paul, 
which  is  in  accordance  with  the  chief  historic 
testimony. 

There  is  one  lecture,  delivered  at  this  period,  in 
1874,  which  we  think  must  be  noticed,  as  it  contains 
much  that  is  original  and  powerful,  on  the  all- 
important  subject  of  our  Lord's  Divinity.  It  was 
the  first  of  a  series  of  four,  given  by  different 
lecturers,  to  the  students  of  the  English  Presbyterian 
College.     Asa  Jew,  Dr.  Saphir  throws  himself  into 


THE  DIVINITY   OF   CHRIST.  22^ 

the  very  period  and  circumstances  of  his  fathers  at 
the  advent  of  Christ,  and  shows  how  difficult  it 
would  have  been  to  declare  such  a  doctrine,  how 
impossible  to  suggest  it,  except  revealed  from 
heaven — and  yet  it  was  the  centre  of  all  apostolic 
teaching. 

x4t  no  time,  he  says,  could  it  have  been  more 
difficult  to  declare  the  doctrine  of  the  Divinity  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  than  at  the  time  wdien  it  was 
proclaimed  with  greatest  earnestness  and  intensity 
in  the  days  of  the  Apostles.  Think  of  the  Jews  to 
whom  they  preached  that  Jesus  is  God.  Eemember 
that  of  all  the  commandments  which  God  Himself 
gave  unto  His  people  upon  Mount  Sinai,  and  which 
He  afterwards  con  finned  by  the  mouth  of  His 
prophets,  there  was  none  that  was  so  distinct  and 
clear  and  emphatic  as  that  second  commandment. 
"  But  to  whom  will  ye  liken  Me  1  My  glory  will  I 
not  give  to  another,"  were  the  frequent  exclamations 
of  God  by  the  mouth  of  the  prophets.  How 
strange  then  must  it  have  appeared,  first  unto  the 
Jews,  to  hear  Peter  and  Paul,  and  all  the  Apostles 
who  were  their  brethren  according  to  the  flesh, 
saying  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  w^as  Jehovah,  Lord  ; 
that  unto  Him  was  given  all  power  in  heaven  and  on 
earth  ;  that  every  knee  must  bow  before  Him,  and 
that  every  tongue  must  confess  that  He  is  above 
all,  Lord ;  that  He  is  God  blessed  for  ever. 

The  Apostles  always  spoke  of  Jesus  as  Ku^^o^, 
w  hicli  was  quite  equivalent  to  Jehovah  in  the  Old 


230     JEWISH  DIFFICULTIES  AS  TO  DOCTRINE, 


Testament.  Only  think  of  such  applications  of  Old 
Testament  words  to  Jesus  as  we  find  in  Hebrews 
i.  1  :  "Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever; 
a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the  sceptre  of  Thy 
kingdom."  And  :  ''  Thou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning, 
hast  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  and  the 
heavens  are  the  work  of  Thy  hands."  Then  with 
regard  to  the  idolaters  who  worshipped  many  gods, 
and  spoke  of  many  ''  sons  of  God,"  how  easily 
might  the  apostolic  declaration  of  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  have  been  misunderstood 
by  them  as  Tritheism.  Notice  how  with  this 
twofold  difficulty  besetting  them,  the  Apostles 
speak  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  so 
constantly,  so  freely,  so  spontaneously ;  notice 
the  perfect  ease,  consistency,  and  joyousness 
with  which  this  fundamental  fact  is  constantly 
alluded  to,  pre-supjjosed,  announced.  And  as  they 
believed  that  Jesus  was  God,  and  that  not  although, 
but  because  they  were  Jews,  so  they  declared  the 
Divinity  of  Jesus  as  the  only  real  remedy  by  wdiich 
idolatry  could  be  eradicated.  For  Jesus  is  the 
image  of  the  invisible  God.  He  is  the  true  life, 
and  eternal  life.  When  we  adore  Him,  we  keep 
ourselves  from  idols.  Hence  all  are  idolaters  who 
do  not  w^orship  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ ;  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  Him. 

The  Evangelists  and  Apostles  teach  clearly  the 
real,  true,  and  perfect  humanity  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
.   .  .  But  when  Scripture  reminds  of  His  humanit}', 


THE  DIVINITY  AND   HUMANITY.  231 


it  brings  always  before  us  His  Divinity  also.  "  He 
look  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant.  But  in  taking- 
upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant  He  iiumblecl  Him- 
self." He  learned  obedience  by  the  things  that  He 
suffered ;  but  it  is  added,  "  though  He  were  a 
Son."  The  Apostle  dwells  upon  His  poverty  ;  but, 
"  though  He  was  rich,  yet,  for  your  sakes  He 
Ijecame  poor."  He  was  the  Sou  of  man;  but  in 
this  very  expression  is  implied  that  He  was  much 
more  than  man  ;  and  this  is  also  manifest  from  the 
question,  "  Whom  do  men  say  that  I,  the  Son  of 
man,  am  ? ' 

In  the  weakness  and  lowliness  of  His  humanity, 
we  behold  always  His  Divine  majesty  and  glory. 
True,  He  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  like 
any  other  babe  depended  on  the  love  of  His 
mother,  and  upon  the  guardianship  of  Joseph,  her 
husband ;  but  a  multitude  of  angels  came  down 
from  heaven,  and  declare,  not  that  a  babe,  but  that 
Christ  the  Lord  (Jehovah)  is  born ;  and  as  all 
nature  is  obedient  unto  the  Word,  the  star  directs 
the  wise  men  from  the  East  to  Bethlehem,  and  they 
fall  down  and  worship  the  child,  and  are  not  guilty 
of  idolatry,  for  the  child  is  none  other  than  "  the 
mighty  God,  the  Prince  of  Peace."  ^' The  AVord 
was  made  flesh." 

True,  He  grew  in  stature  and  in  wisdom,  like 
any  other  child  ;  and  when  He  was  twelve  years 
old.  His  parents  took  Him  unto  the  feast  in 
Jerusalem.  But  the  boy  is  God ;  not  that  He 
gradually   develops   into    God ;    but    He    who  was 


232     THE  DIVINE  IN  HIS  HUMAN  ACTIONS. 

God,  and  always  must  be  God,  became  man,  par- 
taker of  flesh  and  blood,  in  all  things  like  unto  us. 
He  says,  "  How  is  it  that  ye  have  sought  Me  ?  Must 
I  not  be  in  the  things  of  My  Father  ? "  making 
a  wonderful  distinction  between  Himself  and  the 
most  devoted  of  God-fearing  Israelites.  .  .  . 

As  men  we  see  Him  in  the  ship,  laying  His  head 
upon  the  pillow,  for  He  was  tired  and  overcome 
with  sleep ;  but  He  is  God  ;  He  arises  and  rebukes 
the  storm ;  He  is  that  Divine  One  of  whom  the 
prophet  had  written  in  the  Book  of  Proverbs,  that 
all  the  wind  and  waves  are  in  His  omnipotent 
hand. 

It  is  true  He  is  man,  and  lives  by  faith,  and 
prayer  unto  God,  and  performs  His  very  miracles 
simply  because  He  depends  upon  the  Father ;  but 
He  is  God,  for  no  creative  being  ever  prayed  unto 
the  Father  as  He  prayed,  "Father,  I  will;"  and 
no  created  angel  ever  was  able  to  say,  "  My  Father 
worketh,  and  I  also  work ; "  and  no  prophet  or 
angel  was  ever  sent  to  show  forth  their  oivn  glory, 
that  men  might  believe  in  Him.  ...  On  the  Cross 
He  opens  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  the  penitent  thief 
in  the  words  of  Divine  power  and  love  :  '^  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  to-day  slialt  thou  be  with 
Me  in  Paradise."  Behold  His  Divinity  in  His 
lowliness  and  humiliation ;  from  the  manger  of 
Bethlehem  to  Golgotha,  He  is  God. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  he  notes,  speaks  throughout  of 
Himself  as  Jehovah,  God  manifest.     Look  at  the 


THE  LORD    OF  MOSES  AND  THE  PROPHETS.    233 


position  He  takes  respecting  the  Scriptures.  ''  Think 
not,"  He  says,  "that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law 
and  the  prophets  ;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but 
to  fulfil."  Only  fancy  any  human  being  uttering 
such  expressions,  and  that  in  the  midst  of  the 
Jewish  people  !  What  man  or  angel  could  either 
destroy  or  fulfil  the  law  or  the  prophets  ?  "  /  am 
come.''  That  expression  alone  would  convey  to 
the  Jews  that  He  was  the  Great  Redeemer  and 
Deliverer.  "  Blessed  is  Ho  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord." 

But  He  puts  Himself  as  the  Lord  and  Master 
of  Moses  and  the  Prophets.  The  whole  Scripture 
was  to  be  fulfilled  in  Him.  Moses  wrote  of  Him. 
Is  not  the  Scripture  the  Revelation  of  God  ?  Did 
not  Moses  write  of  Jehovah  ?  Were  not  the  proj)hets 
sent  to  declare  Jehovah  ?  What  man  or  angel  can 
say,  the  Scriptures  testify  of  him,  centre  in  him, 
and  are  fulfilled  in  him  ?  Who  is  this  Lord  of 
Scripture  unless  it  be  Jehovah  ? 

He  speaks  of  Himself  as  the  Son  of  Abraham  ; 
but  He  says  also,  ''  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am.''  He 
speaks  not  as  if  it  were  His  glory  to  be  descended 
from  Abraham,  but  His  words  show  that  it  was 
Abraham's  glory  that  Jesus  was  descended  from 
him,  even  as  it  was  his  joy  to  behold  Christ's  day. 
He  calls  Himself  the  Son  of  David,  but  He  asks, 
"  How  is  it  then  that  David  in  the  Spirit  calls  Him 
Lord  ? " 


He  shows  how  Jesus  takes  to  Himself  the  pre- 

Q 


234     JESUIT  ASSUMES    DIVINE   PREROGATIVES 

rogatives  of  Jehovah,  of  forgiving  sins ;  of  supply- 
ing the  living  water ;  of  pouring  out  the  Spirit  or 
baptizing  with  the  Holy  Ghost ;  of  being  the  Bride- 
groom of  the  Church.  There  is  also  His  command, 
that  He  Himself  is  to  be  loved  above  all  others, 
father  or  mother,  wife  or  child,  as  Jehovah  claimed 
in  the  Old  Testament.  If  we  give  what  He  asks, 
we  give  all  that  is  demanded  of  God,  and  God  will 
not  give  His  glory  to  another.  He  prepared  to 
offer  Himself  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men, 
most  clearly  foretelling  it,  and  suffering  as  an 
atoning  Sacrifice.  He  is  the  Lamb  of  God,  God 
of  God,  the  Son  of  the  Father,  clinging  with  perfect 
faith  unto  God,  and  acknowledging  the  righteous- 
ness and  justice  of  His  holy  written  law  ;  clinging 
with  perfect  love  to  us,  for  whose  salvation  He  had 
come  to  die  on  the  accursed  tree. 

Dr.  Saphir  concluded  his  lecture  with  this  very 
touching  personal  testimony : — Perhaps  none  of 
you  know  from  experience  what  it  is  to  live  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  Incarnation ;  what  it  is  to 
endeavour  to  realize  the  incomprehensible,  infinite 
God,  without  the  light  and  comfort  of  the  Mediator, 
and  how  joyous  and  self-evidencing  is  the  peaceful 
brightness  when  Jesus  is 'revealed  as  the  Son  of 
God,  declaring  the  Father.  I  was  brought  up  in 
my  childhood  in  the  synagogue,  and  was  taught 
that  there  was  one  God,  infinite,  incomprehensible, 
holy  Spirit ;  high  above  us  and  omnipresent.  Much 
stress  was  laid  on  the  unity  and  unicity  of  God, 


.[    TOUCHING    PERSONAL   TESTIMONY.       235 

But  this  bare,  vague,  and  abstract  Monotheism 
leaves  the  mind  in  darkness,  while  the  heart  is 
chilly  and  desolate.  There  was  another  and  a 
better  current  which  then  influenced  me.  It  was 
the  national  history,  as  recorded  in  the  books  of 
Moses,  the  Psalms,  and  the  Prophets,  and  com- 
memorated in  the  festivals.  There  I  was  met 
by  no  abstract  idea  of  unicity,  but  by  a  loving 
God,  who  appeared  unto  Abraham  and  spoke  to 
him  ;  who  led  Israel  through  the  wilderness  and 
dwelt  among  them  ;  and  after,  when  I  thought  of 
the  friendly,  kind,  concrete,  and  human  way  in 
which  the  Lord  God  then  appeared  unto  His 
people  and  dwelt  with  them,  I  wondered  why  He 
was  not  now  with  us,  known,  loved,  and  followed. 

One  day  I  was  looking  at  some  books,  and  the 
title  of  one  arrested  my  eye.  It  was  Die  Mensch- 
tverdung  Gottes — God  becoming  man.  The  thought 
went  through  my  mind  like  a  flash  of  lightniug ; 
it  thrilled  my  soul  with  a  most  joyous  solemnity. 
"  Oh,"  I  said,  ''  this  would  be  the  most  beautiful 
thinfr,  if  God  were  to  become  man  and  visit  us  ! " 
Not  many  years  after  I  heard  about  Jesus,  and 
read  the  Gospels.  I  felt  here  the  same  presence, 
the  same  loving,  condescending,  redeeming,  and 
sanctifying  God,  that  appeared  unto  the  Fathers. 
I  felt  that  here  was  Jehovah  ;  that  all  darkness 
had  disappeared,  and  that  the  grand  but  incon- 
ceivable glory  here  shone  upon  us  in  the  perfect, 
peaceful,  and  holy  countenance  of  the  man  Christ 
Jesus.     Peniel !  I  have  seen  God  face  to  face,  and 


23G  PERSONAL   TESTIMONY. 


iny  life  is  preserved.  .  .  .  To  believe  in  Jesus,  the 
Sou  of  God,  is  not  an  abstract  dogma,  or  a  theo- 
sopliic  speculation,  but  a  soul-experience,  a  new 
heart-life.  It  is  the  mystery  of  godliness.  May 
the  result  of  all  we  learn  and  experience  on  earth 
]>e  summed  up  in  this :  By  God's  spirit  I  believe 
that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and 
ofave  Himself  for  me. 


237 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

LETTERS  OF   HIS   LATER   LIFE. 

Comfort  ill  Bereavement — The  Church,  what  it  is,  and  Baptism 
— Princess  Alice's  Death — Church  Order — Apostolic  Suc- 
cession— Faith  without  a  Knowledge  of  the  Spirit's  Work 
— The  Fall  and  Redemption  necessarily  connected — The 
Future  Punishment  Controversy — The  Present  State  of 
the  Churches — Broad  Churchism — "The  Catholic  Apostolic 
Church" — Crucified  with  Christ — A  Vicarious  Atonement 
— Schleiermacher — Separation  from  the  World — The  Lord's 
Day — Perfectionism — A  Free  Gospel  and  Election — The 
Connection  of  the  Present  and  Future  Lives — "  The  Higher 
Life" — Dr.  Keith's  Last  Days — German  Translations  of 
the  Bible — Influence  of  Trial. 

WE  now  give  a  number  of  letters,  many  of  them 
on  leading  questions  of  religious  interest. 
They  were  chiefly  written  to  a  lady  who,  by  her 
position  in  society,  came  into  contact  with  great 
varieties  of  opinion,  and  who  often  wrote  to  Dr. 
Saphir,  to  consult  him,  in  perplexity.  She  does  not 
wish  to  give  her  name,  but  to  note  that  they  were 
written  to  one  "to  whom  his  teaching  was  greatly 
blessed."  In  placing  them  at  our  disposal,  she 
writes  : — 

"  How  gently  and  patiently  he  taught  me  for  years,  these 
letters  clearly  show  forth  !  I  went  through  so  many  mists, 
and  he  seemed  sent  to  pilot  me  through.  T  can  never  thank 
God  enough  for  this." 


238  COMFORT  IN  BEREAVEMENT. 

It  has  been  impossible,  in  many  cases,  to  ascertain 
the  precise  dates,  but  almost  all  given  in  this 
chapter  were  written  during  the  later  Notting  Hill 
period,  a  few  of  them  perhaps  afterwards.  The 
dates,  however,  when  they  deal  with  general  ques- 
tions are  not  so  important.  Dr.  Saphir  had  a  habit 
of  only  putting  the  day  of  the  month  on  his  letters, 
and  not  the  year,  and  when  the  envelopes  have  not 
been  preserved,  it  is  frequently  impossible  to 
ascertain  the  year. 

The  first  few  letters  given  relate  to  the  very 
sudden  death  of  a  beloved  mother.  One  is  dated 
May  26,  1878  :— 

"  It  was  only  after  the  Morning  Service  that  I  heard  of  your 
sad  bereavement.  Mr.  Topping  had  heard  of  it,  but  was  afraid 
to  tell  me,  as  he  feared  it  would  upset  me,  as  he  knew  I  was 
hardly  able  to  preach  this  morning. 

"I  do  not  like  to  intrude  on  you  in  your  great  sorrow,  but 
I  cannot  refrain  from  expressing  my  deep  sympathy  with  you 
in  your  sudden  grief,  and  my  earnest  hope  that  you  and  all 
yours  will  be  mercifully  sustained  and  consoled  in  this  deep 
aflaiction.  May  the  love  of  our  Heavenly  Father  and  the 
sympathy  of  our  great  High  Priest  and  Saviour  be  very  near 
and  precious  to  you !  .  .  .  You  will  have  all  needful  grace 
and  strength,  and  the  Lord  will  keep  you  and  bless  you." 

Another  letter,  dated  June  7,  1878,  refers  to  the 
same  loss  : — 

''  You  have  been  in  our  thoughts  all  this  week,  and  we 
trust  that  you  have  been  upheld  and  comforted  all  these 
solemn  and  sorrowful  days.  They  also  are  included  in  the  all 
days  in  which  Jesus  has  promised  to  be  with  us  (Matt,  xxviii.). 
I  was  so  glad  Dean  Stanley  chose  John  xiv,,  our  Saviour's 
words,  these  are  so  simple  ;  and  when   Ave  need  strong  con- 


THE  SWEET   OLD   STOltr.  L>3t> 

solation  we  long  for  the  greatest  simplicity.  'My  Father's 
House ' — '  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you ' — '  I  will  come 
again.'  If  we  can  hear  this,  and  in  the  loving  Voice  of  our 
Lord,  our  hearts  will  cease  being  troubled. 

"  You  must  not  wonder,  if  after  the  excitement  and  activity 
of  the  last  days  you  will  feel  now,  more  than  you  have  yet 
done,  the  loss,  and  realize  the  blank.  The  Christian  does  not 
attempt  to  force  himself  into  strength,  but  leans  with  his 
weakness  and  in  his  sorrow  on  the  compassionate  Lord,  who 
can  perfectly  sympathize  with  us.  To  His  grace  I  commend 
you.  His  Spirit  will  sanctify  and  bless  this  sad  experience 
to  you,  and  through  it  lead  you  to  greater  strength  and 
insight. 

"  Your  kind  and  encoui'aging  words  were  very  precious  to 
us.  I  often  feel  discouraged  at  not  seeing  more  results  of  my 
w^ork ;  but  I  believe  I  am  not  sufficiently  aware  how  little  I 
deserve  to  be  of  any  use,  and  instead  of  being  discontented, 
I  ought  to  be  thankful.  I  was  so  glad  my  friend  Herschell 
took  up  the  subject  of  the  Second  Advent.  He  is  a  very  godly 
man,  and  takes  his  theology  straight  from  the  Bible  and 
experience.  This  is  no  doubt  the  best  way.  Do  you  not  feel 
in  some  men's  teaching  an  absence  of  the  Cistern's  taste  and 
of  the  directness  of  a  Fountain  1  I  often  wish  I  could  forget 
more  all  the  present  day  controversies.  The  very  way  the 
questions  are  put  is  already  a  departure  from  the  simplicity  of 
the  gospel.     But  we  must  adhere  to  the  sweet  old  story. 

"...  We  came  out  to  Richmond  for  a  few  days.  I  feel 
a  little  better,  but  the  sense  of  utter  inability  to  work  has  not 
quite  left  me.  It  is  very  refreshing  to  ,see  the  trees,  and  to 
feel  there  is  something  outside,  and  may  I  say  above,  London  ! 
"  I  have  not  been  able  to  read  the  Assembly's  discussions. 
They  seem  to  have  been  on  the  whole  very  calm  and  kindly. 
I  am  afraid  my  friend  Dr.  MacLeod  takes  too  mundane  a 
view  of  the  'parish.'  How  difficult  it  would  be  to  explain 
to  the  Apostle  Paul  what  is  meant  by  the  '  parish,'  in  the  sense 
in  which  the  modern  Scotch  ministers  use  it.  But  I  must  not 
broach  my  radical  views.  .  .  I  am  very  sorry  that  you  will 
be  away  so  long.  I  never  like  a  member  of  my  church 
very  much,  but  they  either  go  a\\ay  or  become  Darbyite.*' 


2W  Till!:   CHURCH—AND   BAPTISM. 

ill  another  leiler  he  says  : — 

"I  must  write  a  line  to  tell  you  how  deeply  aud  keenly 
1  felt  yesterday  in  sympathy  with  all  bereaved  ones.  Just 
before  the  service,  I  got  a  letter  announcing  the  sudden  death 
of  my  wife's  life-long  friend,  Judge  Lawson's  sister-in-law. 
1  did  not  tell  her,  as  she  wished  to  go  to  church,  and  I  knew 
it  w^ould  upset  her. 

"This  has  been  a  very  sad  year.  But  we  must  remember, 
that  the  same  Love,  which  suns  the  bright  year,  suns  also  the 
year  of  evil." 

In  another  letter  he  says  : — 

"  I  su2:)pose  you  have  seen  a  little  volume  of  gems  from  the 
late  Dr.  Ker's  note-book.  It  seemed  to  me  very  good  and 
beautiful." 

THE    CM  UKUH,    WHAT    \T    IS,    AND    BAPTISM. 

in  a  letter  written  on  December  23,  1878,  he 
refers  to  the  teaching  of  Scripture  as  to  the  Church 
and  Baptism,  regarding  whicli  his  corresjjondent 
had  written  to  him  : — 

"First,  Scripture.  I  wish  you  would  put  aside  the  (juestiou 
of  the  *  Church  '  and  of  *  Baptism.'  If  you  read  (without  com- 
ment) the  Acts,  the  Pastoral  Epistles,  aud  the  First  Epistle  to 
the  Corinthians,  you  will  see  how  God  quietly  guided  the 
Apostles  to  make  appointments  as  necessity  arose,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  synagogue  form,  and  how  the  ministry  {cmkovlo), 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Church  in  teaching,  ruling,  feeding,  must 
always  virtually  be  the  same.  The  outward  order  is  good ; 
the  call  is  from  God,  and  the  power  by  the  Spirit.  The  laying 
on  of  hands  and  prayer,  doubtless  a  real  blessing,  but  not  by 
virtue  of  any  official  succession,  or  in  order  to  give  the  '  order  ' 
'  authority.'  Not  even  the  Apostles  sought  to  enforce  authority, 
but  commended  themselves  and  the  truth  to  the  conscience. 
The  Lord  says  to  Peter,  'Feed  My  sheep.'  But  He  does  not 
say  to  the  sheep,  '  Obey  Peter.'     When  we  come  in  the  Name 


PRINCESS  ALICE'S  DEATH.  L>41 

of  Christ  as  His  ambassadors,  the  Lord  inclines  the  hearts 
to  receive  us. 

"^  Second,  as  to  '  Church.'  The  Church  is  an  abstraction. 
All  saints  that  ever  lived,  and  still  live,  are  the  Church.  The 
Church  is  yet  in  the  future,  at  Christ's  coming.  Now  there 
are  only  churches.  As  for  the  assumption  that  Komanists, 
Anglicans,  and  Greeks  are  the  only  thiee  Churches,  it  has  no 
►Scriptural  foundation  whatever.  Where  there  is  an  organized 
brotherhood  of  Believers  we  recognize  a  Church.  This  includes 
Individualists,  like  the  Independents,  and  corporate  churches, 
like  the  Methodists,  Presbyterians,  Anglicans.  Of  course 
some  are  more  scriptural  and  fully  developed  than  others. 
State  churches  contain  churches,  but  are  not  churches.  But 
this  last  sentence  would  require  explanation.  It  was  held  by 
Luther,  and  I  think  him  a  host  in  himself. 

"  Third,  Baptism.  Do  not  trouble  yourself  what  Baptism  is 
to  those  who  do  not  believe.  Rather  look  to  what  it  is  to  the 
Believer.  Only  you  must  not  apply  what  is  said  in  the  New 
Testament  of  Baptism  directly  to  infants.  For  in  the  New 
Testament  the  believers  were  baptized,  and  in  Baptism  were 
fully  brought  into  the  Church,  and  possession  of  the  Church- 
Spirit.  But  all  covenant  blessings  are  sealed  in  Baptism  to 
believers,  whether  they  were  baptized  as  infants  or  otherwise. 

"  But  now  I  must  write  no  more  theology.  Let  us  dwell  in 
the  great  and  clear  truths,  and  may  we  be  daily  experiencing 
the  grace  of  Christ,  which  is  sufficient  for  us  I  " 

PKINCE8S  Alice's  death,  &c. 

'•  We  were  all  full  of  sorrow  when  the  tidings  of  Princess 
Alice's  death  came.  It  was  very  sad,  and  the  coincidence  of 
the  death  in  one  sense  deepened  the  sorrow.  But  it  is  delightful 
to  know  that  '  to  die  was  gain.' 

"  I  am  very  sad  about  dear  Germany.  So  few  believers ;  and 
the  youDg  poisoned  systematically.  No  doubt  the  apostasy  of 
Christendom  is  advancing  rapidly.  Tliey  deny  both  the  Father 
and  the  Son.  We  have  much  in  this  country  to  mourn  over, 
tliough,  thank  God,  there  is  a  stronger  band  of  believers. 

'•  We  had  a  splendid  case  of  a  young  Ilabbi  from  Strasburg. 


242  CHURCH  ORDER. 


He  went  to  refute  the  missionary,  but  he  admitted  he  had 
never  read  the  New  Testament.  He  went  home,  read,  and 
was  convinced  at  oyice.  He  has  made  considerable  sacrifices. 
I  am  greatly  pleased  with  him.  He  is  now  studying  theology 
in  Edinburgh. 

"  I  have  just  received  the  Magyar  translation  of  one  of  my 
books.  The  Free  Church  missionaries  are  doing  much  for  the 
circulation  of  Scripture  and  books  in  Hungary,  and  among  the 
Slavonians." 

CHURCH   ORDER. 

Writing  on  Monday,  July  14,  1879,  be  says, 
speaking  of  Church  Order  : — 

"  I  cannot  go  a  step  higher  than  I  did  yesterday  morning. 
It  is  my  maximum  ! — and  pitched  to  the  highest  to  counter- 
balance the  Plymouthists.  The  apostolic  succession  theory,  as 
held  by  Komanists  and  Anglicans,  I  discard,  except  that  I 
believe  (in  Providence)  there  has  been  an  uninterrupted  series 
of  ordained  Presbyters.  Of  course  the  ordained  ones  can 
ordain,  and  even  Episcopal  ordination  is  by  the  Bishop  and 
Presbyters.  The  Church  of  Rome  theory  is  quite  mechanical, 
and  contrary  to  the  New  Testament,  and  the  Anglican  theory 
is  very  little  better.  No  !  Presbyters  ordain  :  if  they  chose  to 
have  bishops  as  superintendents  I  have  no  objection.  But  as 
you  say,  it  is  a  long  subject.  Both  Irvingism  and  Anglicanism 
I  do  hope  you  will  utterly  and  radically  give  up.  The  former, 
I  fear,  is  a  delusion  of  the  subtle  adversary,  and  the  latter 
does  not  keep  strictly  to  Scripture. 

"  Read  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  Directory  about  ministers. 
It  is  very  good.  The  Elders  of  the  present  day  are  somewhat 
ill-defined  creatures.  If  new  exigencies  demand  new  ofiicers, 
I  hold  we  have  the  highest  right  to  ordain  men  for  them,  by 
laying  on  of  hands." 

FAITH    WITHOUT    A    KNOWLEDGE    OF    THE    SPIRIt's 
WORK. 

Writing  on  the  passage  in  Acts  xix.  where  those 


THE   FALL   AND   REDEMPTION.  243 

who  had  been  baptized  by  John  are  stated  to  have 
been  baptized  into  Christ,  after  they  had  expressed 
faith  in  Him,  he  says  : — 

"The  passage  in  Acts  xix.  does  not  present  the  difficulty 
you  find  in  it.  The  disciples  mentioned  there  had  not  been  fully 
instructed,  and  had  only  received  the  preparatory  baptism  of 
John.  But  we  may  have  true  faith,  given  by  God's  Spirit, 
without  a  knowledge  of  the  Spirit's  work.  This  we  see  in 
children ;  and  by  most  Christians  the  doctrine  of  the  Spirit  is 
understood  at  a  much  later  stage.  They  first  simply  trust  in 
Christ,  without  being  conscious  that  this  is  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  them.  It  is  very  fortunate  that,  as  Goethe 
says,  we  can  enjoy  a  good  house  without  being  architects  or 
understanding  the  principles  of  architecture.  It  seems  that 
in  the  apostolic  age  certain  spiritual  gifts,  manifestations,  and 
powers  followed  hajjtism,  which,  in  the  case  of  adult  believers,  I 
can  Cjuite  understand.  But,  as  I  think  I  once  told  you,  the 
application  to  infant  baptism  of  what  is  stated  in  the  Epistles 
of  believers'  baptism  is  most  unwarranted." 

THE    FALL    AND    REDEMPTION    NECESSARILY 
CONNECTED. 

In  another  letter,  speaking  of  the  Fall,  he  says  : — 

"  I  must  answer  your  questions  about  Adam.  It  is  strange 
that  the  Bible  is  not  taken  up  as  a  whole,  one  great  organized 
structure,  God-given,  and  each  part  connected  with  the  rest. 
For  this  reason  people  think  they  can  cut  off  a  doctrine,  a 
narrative,  a  miracle,  as  you  cut  oif  a  piece  of  cloth,  without 
hurting  the  rest.  Now  the  whole  Bible  and  Christianity  fall 
to  pieces  without  Genesis  i.  to  iii.  If  there  is  no  Adam,  root 
and  representative  of  the  whole  race,  there  is  no  Christ : 
Bomans  v.  and  1  Corinthians  xv.  fall  at  once.  The  unity  of 
the  human  race  in  the  One  Blood  (Acts  xvii.  26)  is  not  merely 
a  fact,  but  a  necessary  fact,  as  the  redemption  through  Christ 
is  its  great  counterpart.  But  our  Lord  Himself  believed 
Genesis  i.  to  iii.  literally,  as  His  frequent  references  shoNV. 


244    THE  FUTURE   PUNISHMENT   CONTROVERSY. 

*•'  Besides,  what  is  it  an  allegory  of  ?  If  there  was  no  first 
man,  created  by  God  in  His  Image,  what  is  symbolized  by  this 
story?  If  there  was,  it  is  a  narrative  of  a  fact,  and  of  the 
most  important  and  su])lime  nature.  How  rational  is  this 
narrative  in  all  its  detail — the  counsel  of  the  three,  '  Let 
us,'  &c.,  showing  the  special  glory  of  man  ;  the  breath  from 
above,  and  the  earth,  showing  man  both  spiritual  and  connected 
with  Nature,  and  all  the  other  parts  of  this  truly  magnificent 
record.  The  creation  of  Eve  out  of  Adam  is  as  true  as  it  is 
beautiful.     (Eph.  v.) 

"  I  have  just  been  interrupted  by  a  sailor,  wishing  to  become 
a  communicant.  His  account  of  his  spiritual  history  was  most 
original.  One  expression  specially  struck  me.  He  said — *  Since 
I  gave  my  heart  to  God,  He  has  become  quite  my  idol.' 

"  There  is  not  much  going  on  here  at  present  ;  there  is  how- 
ever some  slight  encouragement  in  the  effects  of  the  preaching, 
which  now  and  then  appear.  It  is  a  work  of  faith,  and  how 
thankful  we  ought  to  be  that  it  is  entrusted  to  us  !  I  have 
been  cheered  by  the  way  my  Hungarian  book,  published  by 
the  Tract  Society,  has  been  received  in»  Hungary.  The  Hun- 
garian Protestant  Church,  I  am  grieved  to  say,  is  to  a  large 
extent  Rationalistic." 

THE    FUTURE    PUNISHMENT    CONTROVERSY. 

In  another  letter  he  speaks  of  the  future  punish- 
ment controversy,  and  then  of  the  present  state  of 
the  Churches  : — 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you  about  Dr.  Campbell's  ^  views  on  men 
being  reconciled.  The  clearest  proof  is  2  Cor.  v.  19,  20.  Mr. 
White's  book  is  the  best  on  that  side,  and  he  is  a  thoroughly 
good  and  Scripture-loving  theologian.  Still  he  does  not  con- 
vince me,  and  his  hypothesis  has  many  difficulties.  I  do  not 
think  the  Bible  statements,  taken  as  a  whole,  can  be  made  to 
mean  anything  else  but  what  the  whole  Church  has  taught 
— an  awful  alternative  of  life  or  death, — and  death  not  in  the 
sense  of  non-existence.  I  suppose  you  know  Mr.  White  was 
a,  brother  of  the  late  L.  N.  E. 


Camj^bell,  formerly  of  How. 


BROAD    CHURCHISM.  245 


PRESENT    STATE    OF    THE    CHURCHES. 

"  What  you  say  about  *  the  Church  '  I  feel  constantly  and 
very  painfully.  The  Church  in  a  sense  is  also  a  failure,  as 
Israel  was.  The  apostolic  condition  altered  even  during  the 
Apostles'  lifetime,  and  the  attempt  of  catholicity  and  infalli- 
bility ended  in  the  Eoman  apostasy.  The  various  Protestant 
Churches  are  one-sided,  and  do  not  possess  the  fullness  of 
teaching,  worship,  and  life,  which  would  satisfy  us ;  many  of 
them  being  besides  mixed  up  with  the  world,  not  holding  the 
truth  in  purity.  There  is,  I  think,  nothing  else  for  us  but  to 
be  patient,  to  help  our  own  community,  and  to  '  testify.'  If  it 
shall  please  the  Lord  to  set  up  the  Church  in  a  truly  apostolic 
spirit  and  life,  previous  to  His  return,  I  think  there  will  be 
such  evident  tokens  and  such  a  heartfelt  attraction,  that  the 
children  of  God  will  feel  no  doubt  and  hesitation." 

BROAD    CHURCHISM — PERSONAL    EXPERIENCES. 

In  the  following  letter  he  refers  to  Broad 
Ohurehism  and  to  his  own  experience  of  it : — 

"  I  must  write  a  word  about  heterodoxy.  I  am  not  much 
afraid  of  its  effect  on  you,  because  of  the  promise,  '  They  shall 
be  all  taught  of  God. '  I  know  that  you  have  an  experimental 
knowledge  and  conviction  that  Scripture  is  God's  Word,  and 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  is  the  Righteousness,  Peace,  and  Life  of 
all  who  trust  in  Him.  Whatever  difficulties,  and  doubts,  and 
temporary  aberrations  you  may  have  to  pass  through,  I  feel 
sure  that  the  Holy  Ghost  will  enlighten  and  confirm  you,  if 
you  look  steadfastly  to  God  through  the  revelation  of  Scrip- 
ture, as  it  centres  in  Christ  (1  John  ii.  27).  I  passed  for 
several  years  through  many  doubts  and  phases,  and  was 
exposed  to  very  '  Broad  '  and  even  Pantheistic  influences,  and 
I  remember  that  I  was  often  irritated  by  severe  and  impatient 
orthodox  treatment.  The  reading  of  Scripture,  and  of  Pascal's 
Pensees,  and  the  friendship  of  a  few  really  good  Christians 
dispelled  the  mists.  I  have  a  great  horror  of  the  sweetish, 
modified,  and  rationalized  Christianity  a  la  Dean  Stanley,  &c., 
although  I  know  that  excellent  men  have  felt  drawn  into  it. 


246  ENCO  URA  GEMENT. 

But  I  think  they  had  still  the  quintessence  of  the  old  views 
sustaining  them.  What  we  need  is  more  spiritual  power  and 
godliness.'' 

ENCOURAGEMENT. 

Of  a  visit  to  Greenwich,  he  says  : — 

"I  was  greatly  cheered  within  the  last  few  weeks  by  finding 
three  of  my  old  Greenwich  Bible-class  decided  Christians,  and 
working  in  the  Church.  They  are  all  under  twenty.  One  wrote 
me  from  Paris.  She  is  under  Miss  Leigh,  who  is  doing  such 
excellent  work  among  the  English  residents.  The  other 
called  on  me  yesterday.  She  is  only  seventeen,  and  takes  charge 
of  a  creche,  a  Sunday-school  of  eighty,  and  evening  classes, 
in  East  Greenwich." 

"  THE    CATHOLIC    APOSTOLIC    CHURCH." 

In  the  next  letter  he  speaks  first  of  a  depression, 
to  which  he  w^as  often  a  victim  : — 

"  I  have  been  without  an  assistant,  and  overwhelmed,  not 
so  much  with  work,  though  I  have  had  more  than  the  usual 
amount,  but  with  a  very  obdurate  fit  of  depression,  of  which  I 
am  quite  ashamed,  but  which  is  very  painful." 

He  then  goes  on  to  speak  of  the  ''  Catholic 
Apostolic  Church  "  : — 

"  I  don't  believe  in  their  claims  at  all !  In  the  beginning 
of  the  movement  there  was  much  that  was  good,  thovigh  even 
then  mixed  with  error,  impatience,  and  fanaticism.  [Perhaps,  as 
Mr.  Baxter  thinks,  there  was  also  some  demoniac  influence.] 
As  for  the  revival  of  the  Apostolate,  I  think  it  was  never 
intended,  and  is  in  itself,  to  my  mind,  an  impossibility.  The 
Apostles  were  eye-witnesses  who  had  seen  Christ,  and  had 
received  their  commission  from  Him  personally.  Only  one  of 
the  twelve  needed  a  successor,  and  that  was  Judas  !  The 
other  eleven  were  supplemented  by  Matthias  and  Paul,  and  in 
the  nature  of  the  case  need  not  and  cannot  have  successors. 
There  is  only  one  neck  in  the  body  connecting  the  Head  with 


^TFIE    (WTHorJC   APOSTOLIC   CHURCH:      247 

the  rest  of  the  organism.  Hence  we  find  that  while  full 
particulars  are  given  as  to  the  appointment  and  qualifications 
of  bishops  and  deacons,  nothing  is  said  as  to  future  apostles. 

"  But,  if  we  grant,  for  argument's  sake,  that  there  could  be 
Apostles,  that  is,  men  to  whom  the  risen  Christ  appears,  and 
whom  He  sends  forth,  what  have  the  so-called  apostles  to  show 
as  evidence  of  their  mission  %  What  doctrine,  work,  revival 
of  the  Church,  conversion  of  Jews  or  heathen  1  I  can  see 
nothing  but  a  confused,  semi-Romish,  sacramentarian  doctrine, 
self-instituted  Symbolism,  and  avast  amount  of  machinery, quito 
out  of  proportion  to  its  work. 

•'  You  say  they  have  prayed  for  restoration  of  gifts,  and  wh}^ 
not  believe  that  they  were  answered  %  But  although  believing 
this  sincerely,  I  may  doubt  both  the  character  of  their  petitions 
and  of  their  gifts.  Most  men  who  start  new  theories  and 
churches,  like  Swedenborg,  &c.,  could  say  the  same  thing. 
Our  revelations,  &c.,  are  in  answer  to  our  prayers.  Now  as 
to  miracles  and  gifts.  There  is  no  one  who  denies  that  they  may 
appear  at  any  time.  There  may  have  been  miracles  of  heal- 
ing and  of  other  kinds,  in  various  periods  of  the  Church. 
But  I  think  that  miracles  are  not  in  accordance  with  our 
present  dispensation.  For  this  reason.  In  the  Theocracy 
miracles  come  generally  at  some  great  crisis,  for  instance, 
before  and  at  the  Exodns  ;  in  the  days  of  Elijah.  There  were 
periods  of  several  centuries  during  which  there  was  no  miracle 
at  all.  From  Elijah  and  Elisha  to  Christ  I  think  there  was 
none,i  and  that  is  a  very  long  period.  When  Christ  comes 
again,  there  will  be  signs.  The  present  Church  period  is  one 
of  testimony,  suffering,  and  faith.  And  a  long  intermission  of 
miracles  is  therefore  not  strange. 

"Then  again  as  to  the  prophets  and  tongues.  What  have 
they  ever  uttered  among  the  Irvingites  but  the  most  common- 
place exhortations,  like  '  Beautiful !  Christ  is  coming '  1  The 
fundamental  truths  have  been  so  overlaid  that  they  are  seen 
only  with  a  very  dim  and  flickering  light.  They  hold  the 
truth  of  the  Second  Advent,  and  this   is  very  valuable  ;  but 

^  This  was  evidently  written  in  haste,  as  there  are  the 
miracles  in  the  times  of  Isaiah,   Daniel,  &c. 


248  VISIT    TO   EDINBURGIL 

they  have  in  the  first  place  connected  it  with  a  theory  whicli 
may  be  true  or  not,  the  secret  rapture,  and  with  the  prepos- 
terous assumption  that  it  is  necessary  to  belong  to  them,  in 
order  to  be  among  the  wise  virgins  who  are  received  at  the 
Lord's  Return.  I  have  met  some  very  good  and  devout  men 
belonging  to  them,  and  had  some  of  their  writings,  which 
I  like  to  a  great  extent ;  but  I  have  not  the  slighest  misgiving 
as  to  the  rejection  of  their  claims. 

"■  But  I  must  not  write  any  more  on  this  point,  or  enter  on 
the  other  point  you  mention.  You  will  find  many  difficulties 
disappear  as  you  get  more  fully  satisfied  on  the  great  central 
points.  If  we  have  Christ  by  faith  we  have  eternal  life,  and 
what  more  can  we  want  1  To  be  spiritually-minded  is  life  and 
peace.  Whatever  Church  says  least  about  itself  and  most 
about  Christ  is,  I  think,  the  best.  In  this  respect  we  have 
all  to  learn  much." 

A    LONDON    ECLECTIC    CONGREGATION. 

"Have  you  been  reading  Beck?  He  is  perhaps  a  little 
deficient  in  the  consoling  and  encouraging  element,  but  there 
is  something  very  wholesome  about  his  teaching. 

"We  spent  a  few  days  in  Bhxckheath,  and  I  preached  to 
many  of  my  old  people.  It  was  very  pleasing  to  see  so  much 
affection  as  they  showed.  I  sometimes  feel  very  much 
burdened  about  my  ministry  here  (Notting  Hill).  There  is 
something  unreal  about  a  London  Eclectic  congregation. 
But  I  suppose  I  ought  to  fall  in  with  the  circumstances." 

VISIT    TO    EDINBUEGH. 

In  the  following  letter  he  describes  a  visit  to 
Edinburgh  endeared  by  old  associations  : — 

"  We  came  to  dear  Edinburgh  on  Saturday,  after  spending 
a  few  delightful  days  with  old  friends  in  new  earth.  It  is 
very  refreshing  to  be  with  old  friends,  and  to  see  the  children 
grown  up  who  loved  you  long  ago.  Yesterday  I  Avent  to  hear 
Dr.  MacGregor  according  to  your  suggestion.  I  liked  his 
simple  and  warm-hearted  exposition  of  the  Lord's  Suppei-  very 


CRUCIFIED    WITH  CHRIST.  249 

much.  He  excused  and  mildly  defended  the  Scotch  infrequency 
of  Communion.  But  I  am  sure  nobody  can  defend  it,  and  he 
himself  would  like  to  see  it  altered.  I  went  to  his  after- 
service.  He  is  a  very  attractive  man,  and  was  very  kind.  .  .  . 
I  am  more  at  home  in  Edinburgh  than  anywhere ;  I  suppose 
it  is  owing  to  the  College  days'  associations.  But  it  seems 
that  I  am  to  remain  in  Babylon  !     I  dare  say  it  is  best  so." 

CRUCIFIED   WITH   CHRIST — WHAT    IT    MEANS. 

"  I  hope  you  enjoyed  the  services  of  Good  Friday,  &c.  If 
these  special  days  are  helpful  to  you,  you  are  quite  right  to  use 
them.  There  certainly  ought  to  be  most  perfect  liberty  on  such 
points.  I  was  so  thankful  for  what  you  said  about  your 
feelings  on  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement.  It  is  the  central 
doctrine,  and  there  can  be  no  true  view  of  our  blessed  Lord 
Himself  without  it.  His  whole  character,  and  especially  His 
love,  appears  in  the  proper  light  only  when  we  see  the  great 
purpose  for  which  He  came.  It  seems  strange  that  any  one 
could  ever  mistake  the  Gospels  and  Epistles  on  this  point. 
All  the  varied  and  forcible  expressions  are  so  abundant  and 
so  clear.  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  good  and  adequate  theory 
of  the  expiation  :  it  is  the  mystery,  and  therefore  the  stumbling- 
block.  But  the  heart  and  conscience  find  perfect  and  abiding 
peace  only  here.  You  say,  that  only  when  we  are  crucilied 
with  Christ,  we  can  enter  into  the  Eesurrection  light  and  joy. 
This  is  very  true,  but  allow  me  to  point  out  to  you  what  I 
conceive  is  the  Scripture  teaching  on  this  subject.  Many  good 
people  are  kept  in  doubt  and  anxiety  because  they  look  upon 
this  'crucified  with  Christ'  as  a  gradual  progressive  thing. 
They  never  know  when  they  have  attained  to  it,  and  when 
they  have  a  right  to  the  grace  and  light  of  resurrection.  Now, 
we  have  been  crucified  together  with  Christ,  once  and  for  ever, 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  just  as  truly  as  we  fell  in  Adam. 
In  our  actual  experience  we  notice  it  only  when  we  come  to 
know  and  believe  it.  Now  the  conscience  being  set  free,  and 
that  which  formerly  hindered  being  taken  out  of  the  way,  we 
are  also  raised  again  with  Christ,  and  seated  with  Christ  in 
heavenly  places.     If  you  view  this  as  o^faot  and  a  cj'ift^  and  nob 


250  A    VICARIOUS  ATONEMENT. 

as  an  ethical  requirement,  you  will  see  that  it  is  perfect,  ac- 
complished, and  eternal.  Now  comes  the  exhortation,  *  Being 
risen  with  Christ,  set  your  affection  on  things  above.'  The 
usual  mode  of  preaching  is  ethical.  Like  Christ,  be  crucified, 
rise  from  the  dead,  &c.  But  you  see  this  is  mistaking  the 
superstructure  for  the  foundation,  and  never  can  give  peace. 
According  to  this,  Col.  iii.  would  be :  'If  you  have  your 
affections  set  on  things  above,  have  your  affections,'  &c.,  which 
is  tautology.  But  we  believers  have  been  crucified  together 
with  Christ,  and  are  risen  with  Him ;  therefore  we  belong  to 
the  above,  &c.  Now  you  must  bear  with  me  for  being  so  prosy, 
for  I  have  you  '  on  my  heart.'  It  is  the  greatest  blessing 
from  God,  when  we  have  any  thirst  for  this  light  and  love ; 
and  there  is  the  absolute  certainty  that  the  secret  of  the  Lord 
is  with  them  that  fear  Him.  How  happy  we  ought  to  be 
when  we  know  ourselves  the  objects  of  such  love,  and  the 
heirs  of  such  promises !  May  you  have  a  long  and  happy  life, 
and  in  the  only  true  sunshine  !  " 

A   VICARIOUS    ATONEMENT — SCHLEIERMACHEE. 

The  followino;  letter  is  on  the  Atonement,  and 
refers  again  to  his  own  earlier  struggles  with 
unbelief : — 

"  If  you  strictly  and  sincerely  analyze  it,  unless  Christ  died 
as  a  substitute,  in  the  old-fashioned  Catholic  sense,  w^e  are  all 
our  own  Saviour's  ;  each  one  in  his  manner  trying  to  copy  the 
example  and  enter  into  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 

''  Only  read  Hebrews  ix.  and  x.,  and  it  will  take  away  the 
finely  woven  veil  of  darkness. 

"  The  union  of  Father  and  Son  is  redemption ;  the  voluntary 
character  of  Christ's  Death,  the  wonderful  Mediator  position 
which  Christ  holds  in  Creation — all  these  points  throw  light 
on  the  character  of  the  Atonement ;  and  we  can  only  wonder 
that  men  can  charge  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement  with 
representing  God  as  cruel,  bloodthirsty,  arbitrary,  &c.  In 
John  iii.  you  have  the  two  facts  connected.  The  Son  of  man 
-iitunt  be  lifted   up — and  'for  God   so    loved   the   world,'   &c. 


SEPARATION  FROM   THE    WORLD.  251 

The  one  an  absolute  necessity  (if  men  are  to  be  saved),  the 
source,  the  spontaneous  love  of  God.  I  suffered  for  years  from 
the  teaching  of  Schleiermacher's  disciples  (when  I  was  about 
seventeen).  These  men  were  just  like  the  Broad  Church 
people.  They  are  strong  in  negatives — no  vicarious  atonement, 
no  real  Inspiration  of  Scripture,  no  Conversion  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  no  assurance  of  salvation  ;  everything  is  simply  modi- 
fying, analyzing,  diluting,  and  undermining  the  doctrine  and 
experience  of  the  Christian  Church ;  and  the  real  drift  and 
practical  outcome  of  their  teaching  is,  that  we  must  try  to  be 
good,  to  die  unto  sin,  and  to  live  unto  righteousness,  and  to 
take  Christ  as  our  model.  They  always  talk  about  '  ethical,' 
not  'spiritual' — that  is  born  again  of  the  Spirit.  If  by  God's 
grace  the  Image  of  Christ  crucified,  as  it  is  given  in  Isaiah 
liii.,  had  not  been  after  all  the  deepest  conviction  of  my  heart, 
I  would  have  become  a  downright  Pantheist  through  their 
means.  It  is  this  experience  which  makes  me  so  intolerant 
of  them.  Yet  I  know,  that  some  of  these  very  men  in  their 
inmost  heart  believe  in  the  Lord ;  and  dear  Schleiermacher 
himself  had  the  Moravian  element  in  him,  and  his  last  words 
on  his  death-bed,  when  he  had  taken  the  Lord's  Supper  with 
his  family,  show  that  his  real  trust  was,  Christ  ybr  us. 

"  We  find  it  all  so  diflicult  to  take  in  the  idea,  that  this 
present  dispensation  is  that  of  Christianity  despised  and  in  a 
minority  ;  not  many  wise,  etc.  (1  Cor.);  it  is  a  little  flock; 
our  Lord  is  as  yet  incognito,  and  the  attempts  to  present 
Christianity  as  i:)roved  by  history,  as  establislied,  as  acknow- 
ledged by  philosophy  and  the  world  wisdom,  are,  although 
often  well  meant,  only  a  virtual  altering  the  quality  of 
Christianity  to  gain  a  large  quantity  of  adherents." 

SEPARATION   FEOM    THE   WOELD. 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  bears  on  the 
subject  of  Separation  from  the  World  : — 

''Your  question  is  very  diflicult  of  application.  Mr.  Webb 
Peploe  I  think  right  in  lu'ging  a  decision  before  Confirmation^ 
We  must  expect  from  every  professing  communicant  that  he 


252  THE  LORD'S  DAY. 


will  give  up  'the  world.'  What  is  meant  by  the  World  is  a 
question  on  which  light  must  be  sought,  and  is  more  likely  to 
be  found  among  God's  people  than  the  others.  But  it  must 
come  from  within,  the  stronger  affection  driving  out  the  other. 
Our  German  Christians  are  much  stricter  and  more  separate 
from  the  world  than  the  English.  It  is  a  very  sad  subject, 
and  one  can  only  commit  those  about  whom  we  are  anxious  to 
the  Holy  Spirit's  guidance  and  influence,  and  occasionally  say 
a  poiyited  word  to  them.  Now-a-days  people  don't  believe  in 
the  flesh,  the  world,  and  the  devil  being  our  real  enemies ;  and 
the  world  especially  is  considered  to  have  existed  only  in  the 
days  of  Pagan  Rome." 

THE    lord's   day. 

The  next  letter  is  on  tlie  Observance  of  tlie 
Lord's  Day  : — 

''  Your  questions  are  not  easily  answered  in  short  space.  I 
think  you  know  my  views  on  Sabbath  and  Lord's  Day.  There 
is  unity  and  parallel  as  well  as  contrast.  The  Sabbath  was, 
though  a  command,  a  privilege,  a  kind  of  gospel;  it  wns  also 
understood  not  merely  as  a  day  of  rest,  but  of  Spiritual 
communion  (Isaiah  Iviii.  13).  It  is  embedded  in  the  whole  law 
of  Moses,  especially  the  festivals,  but  this  Jewish  character 
does  not  affect  its  universal  authority.  It  is  God's  will  that 
fallen  men,  whose  labour  is  partly  punishment  and  toil,  should 
rest  on  the  seventh  day.  In  the  New  Testament,  Believers 
belonging  to  the  Second  Creation,  Pvasurrection-Life,  have 
the  lirst  day  of  the  week  symbolized  by  the  sheaf  of  Easter. 
They  start  with  rest,  and  then  work  in  its  strength,  while  in 
this  they  have  also  all  the  provision  they  need,  as  men  still 
in  their  Adam  nature,  on  which  the  Law  dwells  primarily. 
While  they  keep  the  (new)  Lord's  Day,  the  righteousness  of 
the  Law  in  this  fourth  commandment  also  is  fulfilled  in  them. 
Unbelievers  and  nominal  Christians,  in  not  observing  the 
Lord's  Day,  both  despise  the  gospel  offer  and  privilege, 
embodied  in  the  day,  and  break  the  unchanging  law  of  God, 
concerning  man's  weekly  rest.  So  while  you  must  enter  fully 
into  the  New  Testament  character  of  the  Lord's  Day  (like  the 


RUTHERFORD'S  LETTERS—PERFECTIONISM.    253 


Brethren),  hold  fast  the  Scotch  idea  of  the  connection  between 
Law  and  New  Testament,  and  then  everybody  will  hate  you  ! — 
the  free  people  for  being  strict,  and  the  strict  people  for  being 
free.  The  mere  Dominican  view  of  the  Lord's  Day  as  a 
Church  institution  is,  I  am  convinced,  most  inadequate.  The 
Scotch  view  is  too  one-sidedly  legal,  yet  nearer  the  ichole  truth. 
I  would  give  anything  to  see  a  stricter  view  of  the  Lord's  Day. 
It  would  do  us  more  good  than  all  self-invented  methods  of 
revival." 

Rutherford's  letters. 
In  another  letter,  he  says  : — 

"  I  have  been  reading  last  week  Kutherford's  Leifers.  They 
are  indeed  fragrant,  and  very  good  parallel  reading  with 
Philippians,  having  personal  experience  for  their  substance. 
Also  a  good  comment  on  the  Song  of  Songs.  I  think  it  is 
the  most  Herzliche  Buch  which  has  come  out  of  Caledonia, 
stern  and  wild." 

PERFECTIONISM. 

In  the  following  letter  he  thus  speaks  of  the 
Perfection  Theory  : — 

"The  verse  in  the  Epistle  of  John,  which  you  quote,  is 
quite  intelligible  as  referring  to  the  new  man  in  the  Spirit — 
born  of  the  Spirit ;  but  if  referred  to  the  whole  actual  in- 
dividual, proves  too  much,  viz.  that  no  Christian  ever  can  sin, 
and  that  any  one  who  sins,  is  not  a  Christian.  And  this  is 
quite  in  opposition  to  chapter  i.  and  chapter  ii.  1,  2.  The 
believer  is  certainly  no  longer  under  the  dominion,  and  within 
the  sphere,  of  sin ;  and  his  whole  spirit  and  heart  go  against 
sin ;  and  yet  he  is  always  sinning,  and  always  has  need  of 
confessing  his  sins.  The  English  mind,  as  you  know,  is  very 
slow  in  understanding  and  combining  antinomies,  and  apt  to 
take  up  one  aspect  exclusively.  As  in  this  case,  either  to 
dwell  on  the  believer's  deliverance  from  the  dominion  of  sin, 
or  to  dwell  on  the  fact,  that  as  long  as  we  live  in  the  body 
we  always  sin  ;  there  is,  on  the  one  side,  a  danger  of    self- 


254         THE  EXTENT   OF  THE  ATONEMENT. 

delusion,  a  low  standard  of  sin,  and  imaginary,  self-complacent 
holiness  ;  on  the  other  of  unholiness,  self-indulgence,  and  luke- 
warmness." 

THE  EXTENT  OP  THE  ATONEMENT. 

"  As  to  the  *  extent '  of  the  Atonement,  I  can  understand 
your  indignation.  It  is  the  same  sort  of  feeling  I  get  when  I 
read  '  Broad  Church '  books,  and  not  at  all  good  on  a  holiday. 
Dr.  Candlish  preached  and  urged  the  gospel  as  freely  and 
earnestly  as  any  one.  I  don't  think  the  question  is  one  which 
stands  between  the  soul  and  Christ,  but  more  theoretical. 
Any  one  who  feels  the  need  of  Christ,  and  has  a  glimpse  of 
who  and  what  Christ  is,  will  sooner  or  later  be  at  peace. 
Theories  are  of  no  avail ;  either  narrow  or  broad  ones ;  the 
question  or  rather  answer  in  the  Shorter  Catechism  on  effectual 
calling  is  most  life-like.  To  say  all  are  reconciled,  if  they 
only  knew  it,  is  not  Scripture ;  the  gospel  message  is,  '  Be  ye 
reconciled.'  The  witness  of  the  heart  is  also  against  this 
theory.  Yet  it  may  be  meant  in  a  true  sense.  For  in  reality 
all  true  Christians  mean  the  same  thing.  You  will  find  in  the 
New  Testament  many  more  passages  than  one  is  inclined  to 
suppose,  in  which  the  special  and  peculiar  relations  of  the 
death  of  Christ  to  believers  is  dwelt  upon  ;  such  as,  '  Thou  hast 
redeemed  us  out  of  every  kindred,'  &c.  (Rev.  v.  9) ;  or  our 
Lord's  words  (John  x.  11) :  'I  give  My  life  for  the  sheep,'  in 
connection  with  vers.  26,  27,  sheep  always  used  for  true 
believers,  the  elect  (Eph.  v.  25).  The  intercession  of  Christ  is 
a  parallel  subject  (John  xvii.  throughout).  If  we  view  the 
Atonement  from  the  believer's  point  of  view,  that  is  after  our 
having  experienced  its  power,  we  must  see  the  special  and 
definite  connection  between  it  and  the  true  chosen  and 
ultimately  sound  believers." 

CONTROVERSY — HOW  TO  BE  CONDUCTED. 

"You  seem  always  anxious  that  everything  should  appear 
fair,  rational,  and  thoroughly  understandable  to  the  outsider. 
And  up  to  a  certain  point  this  is  quite  right,  and  it  is  altogether 
advisable ;  but  we  may  make  the  door  wide  in  such  a  way  that 


A    FREE  GOSPEL   AND   ELECTION.  255 

it  leads  to  nothing.  Also  we  may  be  mistaken  as  to  where 
the  real  diflSculty  and  opposition  lie,  for  us.  We  cannot  believe 
implicitly  people's  statements  on  this  point.  On  the  other 
side,  the  Scripture  representations  of  God's  love  and  of  His 
salvation  are  world-wide  and  comprehensive.  There  must 
alioays  remain,  I  feel  increasingly,  a  point  where  we  must  be 
content  to  confess  our  utter  inability  to  reconcile  two  lines  of 
statements,  and  must  adopt  the  Apostle's  '  0  the  depth,'  &c. 
(Rom.  xi.  33 — 36).  Certainly  the  Arminian  '  chance '  and 
'  co-operative '  system  has  no  occasion  for  any  exclamation  of 
the  kind. 

"  I  enjoyed  preaching  in  Buxton  very  much.  It  was  a  very 
interesting  audience,  and  many  ministers.  Donald  Fraser 
preached  the  Sunday  before.  I  was  glad  to  hear  him,  also 
to  have  long  talks  with  him.  We  liked  both  him  and  Mrs. 
Fraser  very  much." 

After  referring  to  other  subjects  lie  concludes  : — 

"How  *unco  satisfying'  it  is  to  get  away  from  the  theo- 
logical extracts  and  (hindrances),  to  the  living  waters  of  the 
Word,  in  which  every  element  is  blended  perfectly  !  " 

A    FREE    GOSPEL    AND   ELECTION. 

"  I  can  understand  your  feelings  about  the  universal  aspect 
of  the  gospel.  No  doubt  there  is  this  aspect  of  God's  love  and 
Christ's  mission  in  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel.  But  it 
must  be  combined  with  the  special  inside  and  experimental 
view.  The  door  is  wide  open,  but  I  don't  like  living  in  the 
open  street.  It  must  lead  to  an  inner,  safe,  and  homely  retreat. 
In  Scripture,  election  and  God's  general  goodness  are  stated 
constantly, — and  constantly  together.  Look  at  Psalm  Ixv.  :  '  O 
Thou  that  hearest  prayer,  all  flesh  shall  come  to  Thee. 
Blessed  is  the  man  whom  Thou  choosest,  and  causest  to 
approach  unto  Thee.'  In  John  xvii,,  the  Lord  says:  'As 
Thou  hast  given  Him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  He  may  give 
eternal  life  to  as  many  as  Thou  hast  given  Ilim.^ 

"My  objection  to  the  Arminian  or  semi- Arminian  is  not 
that  they  make  the  entrance  very  wide ;  but  they  don't  seem 


256  THE  PURPOSE   OF  AFFLICTION. 

to  give  you  anything  definite,  safe,  and  real  when  you  have 
entered.  There  can  be  no  real  difference  among  those  who  are 
trusting  in  Christ,  and  living  by  faith  in  Him." 

THE   PURPOSE    OF   AFFLICTION. 

He  writes  at  the  close  of  a  year  on  the  effect  of 
affliction  and  chastisement  : — 

"The  year  that  will  soon  be  gone  has  been  a  very  sad  year 
to  me,  and  the  saddest  thing  of  all  is,  that  I  feel  little  sub- 
mission and  still  less  thankfulness  for  the  bitter  medicine 
from  a  loving  Hand.  How  much  greater  have  been  the 
blessings  !  You  are  quite  right  in  thinking  that  some  of  our 
trials  and  sufferings  are  judgments, — not  punishments  exactly, 
but  chastisements  for  sins,  negligences,  self-chosen  paths,  etc. 
(Psalm  xcix.  8  ;  1  Cor.  xi.  32).  They  are  always  seasons  of 
humiliation  and  confession ;  but  it  is  love  which  sends  them 
to  enlighten  and  to  heal  us,  and  to  raise  us  through  sorrow 
and  self-judgment  to  a  higher  level,  that  is  to  greater  humility, 
self-distrust,  and  rejoicing  in  Christ.  The  usual  '  sweet ' 
consolation  given  to  Christians  in  affliction  is  defective,  and  I 
believe  the  heart  feels  it  to  be  so ;  it  does  not  sufficiently  bring 
out  the  corrective,  humbling  element ;  every  branch  in  Christ 
is  pruned  by  the  Father,  and  in  this  there  is  an  expression  of 
judgment  on  what  is  evil,  and  a  hindrance  to  growth  and 
fruit.  But  remember  it  is  the  Father  who  prunes,  and  that 
we  are  in  Christ,  who  is  our  real  life.  All  our  experience  in 
the  two  Adams,  the  one  iiainful,  and  the  other  joyous." 

CONNECTION    OF    THE    PRESENT    WITH    THE    FUTURE 

LIFE. 

In  the  next  letter  he  refers  to  the  connection  of 
the  present  and  the  future  life.  He  is  explaining 
references  in  a  lecture  which  had  been  recently 
given  : — 

"What  I  said  about  life  and  death  was  of  course  only  with 
reference  to  a  special  point.     The  life  of  Moses,  David,  or 


CHURCHES   AND  POLITICS.  257 


other  great  public  men,  as  far  as  their  work  and  history  are 
concerned,  is  ended  by  death.  Christ  by  death  and  resurrec- 
tion enters  into  a  new  stage  of  His  life  in  reference  to 
humanity. 

*'  As  for  our  future  work,  I  have  no  doubt  that  there  will 
be  activity,  but  our  life-work,  for  which  we  are  to  be  judged 
and  rewarded,  is  certainly  finished  and  stereotyped  at  death. 
'  The  work  done  in  the  body.'  There  is  no  more  serving, 
trading  with  our  talents,  &c.  after  death." 

PASTOR    AND    CONGREGATION. 

In  a  letter,  dated  Oct.  15,  1886,  he  refers  to 
tlie  cono^reg-ational  relations  : — 

"I  wish  I  knew  a  good  correlate  to  'Pastor'  which  is  of  all 
addresses  the  dearest  to  my  heart.  I  have  not  much  delight 
in  the  congregation  as  a  corporate  body ;  but  the  individuals 
to  whom  I  have  been  of  any  help  and  comfort,  are  very  near 
and  real  to  me." 

CHURCHES   AND    POLITICS. 

He  speaks  in  regard  to  Cliurclies  and  Politics 
and  Voluntaryism : — 

''  The  horizon  seems  troubled  again ;  and  perhaps  the  old 
minister  was  right,  who  never  read  the  papers,  because  he 
knew  from  Scripture  what  would  be  the  end  of  all  things.  I 
do  not  like  the  combination  of  Land  League  and  religion.  It 
is  partly  a  confusion  of  the  Church  dispensation  with  the 
millenium,  when  Psalm  Ixxii.  will  be  fulfilled.  As  citizens, 
we  are  justified  in  seeking  by  right  means  to  obtain  just  and 
equitable  things;  as  Christians  and  Churches  we  ought  to 
suffer  quietly  !  And  this  is  also  my  answer  to  your  remark 
about  Voluntaryism.  I  also  do  not  admire  it,  as  it  exists. 
If  Voluntaries  and  Dissenters  are  content  to  be  nothing  in 
this  world  but  spiritual  witnesses  and  loving  epistles  of 
Christ,  then  they  are  indeed  fragrant;  but  if  they  want 
power  and  echit  and  the  other  things,  they  likely  only  add  a 


258  CALVINISM. 


bitter  and  envious  spirit,  and  tlie  spirit  of  bondage  to  the 
multitudes,  to  the  faults  and  failings  of  the  others." 

CALVINISM — REAL   AND    SUPPOSED   DIFFICULTIES. 

Eeferring  to  the  case  of  a  young  man  who  had 
difficulties  about  Calvinism,  he  says  : — 

"  I  was  much  interested  in  your  remarks  about  the  diffi- 
culties of  the  young  man  who  had  been  brought  up  in 
Calvinistic  teaching.  I  should  be  sorry  to  underrate  any 
mental  or  spiritual  difficulty,  or  to  resort  to  the  simple  and 
easy  method  of  laying  all  difficulties  to  the  charge  of  moral 
opposition  or  perverseness.  But  it  does  sometimes  appear 
strange  to  me  that  difficulties  are  brought  forward  which  do 
not  touch  anything  vital  or  important.  In  every  science  you 
cannot  understand  everything  at  once,  and  many  perplexing 
things  appear  intelligible  or  at  least  less  obscure  afterwards. 
If  the  character  and  Divinity  of  Christ,  the  Atonement,  the 
influence  of  God's  Spirit  in  our  hearts,  the  experience  of  prayer, 
and  such  points  are  first  honestly  examined,  the  other  ques- 
tions would  *  range '  themselves.  As  for  '  Pharaoh,'  it  is  not 
merely  an  Old  Testament  difficulty ;  but  still  more  fully  and 
explicitly  in  Romans  ix.  we  have  the  same  fact  stated, 
whatever  its  explanation. 

"  Again,  as  to  Calvinistic  teaching,  I  quite  admit  there  is  a 
hard  and  logical  method  of  teaching  the  doctrines  of  grace, 
which  is  not  like  Scripture,  experimental  and  spiritual.  The 
difficulty  still  remains,  however,  that  as  the  Church  Service  is 
in  the  first  instance  for  God's  worship  and  the  instruction  and 
advancement  of  believers,  many  things  must  be  explained  and 
dwelt  on,  which  unbelievers  or  outsiders  cannot  fully  under- 
stand, and  which  they  likely  will  misunderstand,  and  at  which 
they  will  be  offended.  In  the  Gospel  of  John  you  can  see  this 
even  in  the  'public  teaching  of  our  Lord.  How  much  more  in 
His  disciple-teaching,  such  as  John  xiv.  17,  and  the  Epistles  ! 
But  the  Church  is  the  congregation  of  believers,  and  to  them 
God's  truth  must  be  fully  unfolded  (see  all  the  Epistles). 
Other  effoi"ts  to  bring  in  others  should  not  be  neglected.    We 


'THE  HIGHER  LIFE:  259 

have  too  much  adapted  our  whole  service  and  Church-life  to 
undecided  worldly  people." 

THE    ROMISH    SERVICE. 

"  We  were  a  few  Sundays  ago  in  Cologne  Cathedral. 
Nothing  can  be  more  wonderful  ;  it  is  both  majestic  and 
sweet.  But  the  service  is  something  appalling,  and  how  any 
one  can  find  it  solemn  or  attractive  is  a  mystery  to  me." 

"THE    HIGHER    LIFE." 

He  writes  in  resfard  to  the  "  Hidier  Life"  : — 

o  o 

"Your  question  about  the  Higher  Life  will  require  a  long 
answer.  I  see  however  no  difficulty  in  the  point  you  special- 
ize. It  is  only  by  the  Spirit  that  we  are  roused,  enlightened, 
and  enabled  to  take  hold  of  Christ.  After  we  have  done  this, 
the  Spirit  is  an  indwelling  Spirit.  It  is  the  same  Spirit  who 
first  acts  on  us  till  we  believe  in  Christ,  and  then  is  within 
us  (Eph.  i.  13).  After  I  believe,  I  possess  the  Spirit  of  Son- 
ship  ;  I  pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  S:c.  The  Spirit  is  in  me,  and 
not  merely  with  me  and  acting  on  me,  but  in  me.  But  this 
change  or  foundation  is  once  for  all,  and  in  the  nature  of 
things  cannot  and  need  not  be  repeated;  though  there  are 
many  phases,  renewals,  revivals,  <tc.  The  phenomena  Ave 
notice  are  all  easily  explicable  in  the  following  way.  Kot  all 
the  Spirit's  operations  are  converting.  Many  people  are 
merely  roused,  enlightened,  called,  and  fancy  themselves  con- 
verted. They  are  truly  under  Cod's  special  influence,  but  they 
have  not  gone  on  to  that  actual  change,  the  apprehending  of 
Christ.  Now  these  people,  not  possessing  faith  (but  only 
wishing  for  it  and  making  towards  it),  cannot  bring  forth  the 
fruit  of  faith.  With  these  people  what  is  called  the  second 
conversion  is  really  the  frst.  Because  in  the  fost  movement 
(which  I  do  not  deny  to  have  been  of  God),  it  was  only  the 
intellect,  conscience,  and  sentiment,  short  of  the  heart  and  u-ill, 
which  was  led  Christward.  They  did  not  really  receive  Christ, 
for  Christ  is  not  divided,  a  Forgiver  of  sin  to-day,  and  then 
years   after   a  Eenewer   of  heart  and   Implanter  of  life.     I 


260  'THE  HIGHER  LIFE: 


a  great  many  of  our  loeo'ple  are  in  this  state.  (Just  like 
my  pessimism.)  Ministers,  parents  are  too  glad  to  see  any 
spiritual  concern,  and  far  too  readily  pronounce  people  con- 
verted, who  are  only  beginning  to  wake  up. 

''The  second  point  is,  that  believers  very  soon  after  their 
conversion  become  stationary,  drowsy, — Christ  even  calls  them 
dead  {Sardis), — and  for  years  after  make  no  progress  either  in 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  or  love,  zeal,  &c.  If  they  were  as 
anxious,  earnest,  and  diligent  after  as  they  were  before  that 
crisis,  it  would  be  different.  "We  know  from  observation  that 
people  often  go  on  for  twenty  or  thirty  years  in  this  wretched 
condition,  in  middle-age  life  especially.  Now  the  'higher 
life '  movement  points  out  very  wholesome  truths  to  such. 
Still  I  don't  think  it  is  on  the  right  foundation,  and  its 
methods  are  morbid.  .  .  . 

"I  am  not  much  cheered  by  the  aspect  of  things — the 
whole  modern  edition  of  Christianity  is  not  very  savoury. 
But  I  think  it  l^etter  that  all  this  hidden  Socinianism  and 
half-baked  unbelief  should  show  itself,  and  the  genuine  people 
who  are  at  present  in  great  danger  under  these  Rabbis,  will 
then  seek  for  some  shelter.  We  are  in  perilous  times ;  and 
how  thankful  we  ought  to  be  if  we  have  Christ  and  the 
unction  from  above.  Our  isolation,  and  the  contempt  of  the 
world  and  of  the  rationalistic  church,  will  become  yet  greater; 
but  the  one  grand  thing  is  to  be  faithful. 

"P.S. — I  find  I  have  omitte  1  to  mention  a  third  class  to 
whom  the  '  Higher  Life '  movement  is  useful.  Those  who 
were  true  and  earnest  Christians,  but  have  not  been  led 
sufficiently  to  see  the  thorough  Gospel  character  of  sanctifica- 
tion,  and  were  acting  on  the  co-operative  and  legal  system. 
To  them  the  exposition  of  Christ  as  sanctification,  and  passages 
like  John  xv.  and  Rom.  vi.,  are  as  it  were  a  new  start.  But 
after  all  my  great  concessions,  I  do  oiot  think  it  scriptural." 

DR.  Keith's  last  days. 

In  a  letter  from  Buxton,  he  speaks  of  a  Jewish 
Christian  lady  whom  he  had  met  at  the  boarding- 
house,  and  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Keith  : — 


DR.   KEITH'S  LAST  DAYS.  261 


"  One  interesting  acquaintance  I  made  here  was  with  a 
Jewish  lady  who,  twenty  years  ago,  became  a  Christian,  and 
was  deserted  by  all  her  family.  Her  loneliness  is  touching. 
She  has  a  strong,  simple  faith.  She  had  never  met  a  Jewish 
Christian  before,  and  I  think  has  been  much  cheered  by  my 
conversation.  Also  Dr.  Keith,  who  spent  the  last  years  of 
his  life  in  Buxton,  had  often  spoken  to  her  about  me.  The 
landlady  in  whose  house  he  died,  and  who  was  most  devoted 
to  him,  has  told  me  much  about  his  last  days.  He  was  a 
truly  good  and  great  man,  and  as  happy  as  a  child  to  the 
very  last." 

GERMAN   TRANSLATIONS    OF    THE    BIBLE. 

He  thus  speaks  in  a  letter  of  translations  of  tlie 
German  Bible  : — 

"  The  Germans  have  two  excellent  translations  besides 
Luther's  ;  one  by  de  Wette,  which  is  both  accurate  and  elegant ; 
and  another  by  J.  F.  von  Meyer,  which  is  the  best,  perhaps, 
as  the  translator  was  both  an  excellent  scholar  and  a  deeply 
experienced  Christian." 

THE   JEWS    AND    GOSPEL   HISTORY. 

Keferring  to  sermons  he  was  preaching  on  the 
GosjDel  of  Luke,  he  says  : — 

"I  never  realized  so  much  before  the  tragical  character 
of  the  Gospel  history — especially  from  the  Jewish  point  of 
view,  which  is  the  only  way  to  realize  it  as  history  which 
actually  happened.  The  Christian  Jew  has  some  advantages  ; 
he  is  brought  into  closer  contact  with  the  great  facts  and 
with  the  history  of  Christ.  Our  Church  is  too  one-sidedly 
doctrinal,  and  the  historical  and  prophetical  elements  are 
neglected.  But  we  must  make  the  best  of  what  is  left  us,  and 
strengthen  the  things  which  remain.  A  revival  of  the  apos- 
tolic ministry  may  perhaps  be  granted  ;  or  the  end  may  come 
without  it." 


INFLUENCE   OF  TRIAL. 


FAITH    STRENGTHENED    BY   TRIALS. 

"  I  return  with  my  thanks  that  most  affecting  letter  you  so 
kindly  allowed  us  to  read.     The  conversations  of  which  Dr. 

M told  you  must   be  a  great  comfort  to  you,  and  I  feel 

very  thankful  to  you  for  telling  me  about  them,  and  thus 
enabling  me  to  enter  into  fuller  sympathy  with  you,  in  your 
present  sorrow.  You  have  passed  through  many  trials  ;  but 
I  know  that  your  faith  will  be  strengthened  by  them,  and  be 
found  at  last  as  the  Apostle  Peter  describes  (1  Pet.  i.  7) ; — a 
very  glorious  and  awe-inspiring  truth  which,  when  revealed  to 
the  heart  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  sustains  us  in  the  sad  experi- 
ences and  sorrows  of  life,  which  are  so  often  dark  and  perplex- 
ing. '  We  walk  by  faith  as  strangers  here.'  It  is  indeed  a 
valley  of  tears  ; — though  often  unseen,  how  much  sorrow  there 
is  in  human  hearts  !  " 


563 


CHAPTEE   XXil. 

MINISTEY  IX   WEST   LONDON   FEOM    1875   TO   1880. 

His  Assistants — Kev.  H.  E.  Brooke,  Rev.  J.  Stephens,  and 
Rev.  J.  H.  Topping — Lady  Grant — Miss  Cavendish — His 
Failiu-e  of  Strength — Difficulties — Nervousness — Degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Edinburgh — Resignation  in  1880 
— The  Misses  Jacomb — Brief  Ministry  at  Kensington. 

IN  the  year  1875,  Dr.  Saphir's  health,  which  was 
always  uncertain,  became  seriously  afifected. 
He  could  not  continue  two  services  on  the  Lord's 
Day.  He  could  preach  once  on  Sunday,  and  give 
a  lecture  on  Thursday,  but  when  he  attempted 
to  preach  twice  on  the  same  day  he  became  utterly 
exhausted.  He  had,  therefore,  to  get  an  assistant 
to  supply  his  place  when  he  was  away,  or  when 
at  home  he  did  not  feel  equal  to  preaching. 

His  first  assistant  was  the  Eev.  Henry  E.  Brooke, 
son  of  the  late  Master  Brooke  of  Dublin,  Judge 
in  Chancery.  ]\Ir.  Brooke  had  been  a  clergyman 
of  the  Church  of  England,  but  had  left  it,  from 
conscientious  scruples.  Dr.  Saphir  in  writing  to 
me,  in  regard  to  him — when  I  consulted  him 
about  another  church — said  : — "  He  is  a  most  ex- 
cellent, spiritual,  thorough   man,    a    good    scholar, 


264  REV.   H.  E.  BROOKE. 

and  a  most  instructive  and  edifying  preacher. 
When  Mr.  Brooke  was  with  me  at  Notting 
Hill  it  was  only  in  an  interval  of  engagements. 
I  should  have  been  only  too  glad  if  he  had 
continued,  but  of  course  he  was  far  too  good  for 
the  post.  I  cannot  say  too  much  in  praise  of 
him."  Mr.  Brooke  continued  to  assist  him  for 
about  seven  months,  and  enjoyed  his  association 
with  him.  One  of  his  chief  difficulties  was  the 
frequent  absence  of  Dr.  Saphir,  and  the  painful 
sense  of  the  disappointment  of  those  who  had 
come  long  distances  to  hear  him.     He  says  : — 

"  His  health  was  always  weak,  and  made  him  shrink  from 
going  much  among  his  people.  He  was  very  uncertain  as  to 
his  power  of  preaching  at  any  particular  time "  (that  is  at 
this  period),  "and  one  of  the  most  trying  things  connected 
with  my  period  of  service  was  that  sometimes  on  Sunday 
morning  when  a  large  congregation  (gatbereiJ,  many  of  them, 
from  a  distance),  were  assembled  to  hear  him,  a  message  would 
come  to  me  in  the  vestry,  shortly  before  the  time  for  opening 
the  service,  to  say,  '  I  am  not  well  to-day,  please  take  the 
whole  service.'  The  congregation  bore  my  taking  the  early 
part,  reading  and  prayer,  as  I  often  did  that  when  he 
preached,  but  when  it  came  to  my  going  up  into  the  pulpit, 
their  looks,  and  sometimes  an  audible  '  Oh  ! '  betrayed  their 
disappointment.' ' 

Mr.  Brooke  writes  further  : — 

"  His  dealings  with  me  in  the  matter  of  Baptism  illustrate 
his  large-hearted ness  on  such  points.  When  asking  me  to 
assist  him,  which  I  did  for  a  winter  and  spring,  I  referred  to 
my  inability  to  baptize  infants.  He  said  he  knew  of  it,  but 
as  I  was  not  appointed  by  the  Presbytery,  or  officially  recog- 
nized, it  would  not  matter.  I  added,  *  I  fear  I  ought  to  say 
that  I  do  not  think  it  would  be  consistent  in  me  to  be  present, 


REV.    JAS.   STEPHENS.  265 

if  there  were  such  baptisms  going  on.'  He  said  he  thoroughly 
understood  my  feelings,  and  that  he  would  always  ex'-use  my 
absence  on  sach  occasions.  He  added,  that  if  he  had  the 
mmagement  of  church  matters,  he  would  letve  Baptism  (as  to 
its  subjects,  mode,  &c.)  an  open  question,  and  not  allow  it  to 
divide  those  who  were  members  of  the  Church.  I  remember, 
too,  once  in  the  vestiy  saying  to  him,  '  You  do  not  wear  the 
gown  like  other  Presbyterian  ministers.'  'No,'  he  answered, 
*  I  used  to ;  but  one  day  I  was  putting  on  my  gown  before  the 
glass,  and  the  thought  struck  me :  Why  do  I  put  it  on  ?  I 
cannot  say  why  I  do  so — I  won't  do  so.'  So  he  threw  it  off, 
and  never  again  wore  it.  This  would  illustrate  his  originality 
and  independence,  though  I  am  not  sure  that  his  reason  was 
a  very  good  one." 

After  Mr.  Brooke  left,  the  Rev.  James  Stephens, 
the  well-known  Baptist  minister  of  High  gate, 
then  beginning  his  ministry,  was  the  assistant  for 
two  years.  It  was  now  definitely  arranged  that 
the  assistant  should  take  the  Sunday  evening 
services,  and  do  the  great  part  of  the  pastoral  work. 
Mr.  Stephens  writes  that  he  enjoyed  much  his 
association  with  Dr.  Saphir.  "  It  was  to  me  a 
privilege  to  be  permitted  to  have  intercourse  with 
him,  and  one  could  not  but  love  him."  Mr. 
Stephens  was  much  esteemed  as  a  preacher,  though 
of  course  the  position  was  difficult,  as  the  con- 
gregation was  a  special  one,  composed  of  people  of 
all  churches,  attracted  by  Saphir  personally.  His 
departure,  when  called  to  his  present  charge,  was 
much  regretted  by  Dr.  Saphir  and  the  congregation. 

When  Mr.  Stephens  left  in  1877,  the  Rev.  J. 
H.  Topping  succeeded  him,  and  continued  to  be 
assistant,  till   Dr.   Saphir  resigned   his  charge    in 


266  SAPHIR'S  ATTRACTIVENESS. 

1880.  Mr.  Topping  was  a  devoted  friend  of  the 
Saphirs,  with  whom  they  kept  up  frequent  inter- 
course to  the  last.  He  was  very  active  in  visiting 
and  doing  congregational  work,  and  he  preached 
on  the  Sunday  evenings,  and  often  at  other  times. 

Saphir  had  that  singular  power,  possessed  by 
only  a  few,  generally  men  of  genius  as  dis- 
tinguished from  mere  talent  or  cleverness,  with 
which  genius  is  so  often  confused,— and  alv/ays 
men  of  heart, — of  attracting^  round  him  devoted 
followers,  both  men  and  women,  who  would  have 
done  anything  in  the  world  for  him.  There  are 
those,  and  not  a  few,  who  speak  with  enthusiasm 
of  Saphir  and  his  conversation,  and  his  sermons 
above  all ;  and  who  cannot  write  of  him  except 
in  the  spirit  of  eulogium  and  strong  affection. 
To  those  who  understood  him, — and  he  could 
discern  at  a  glance  real  from  assumed  admir- 
ation, and  instinctively  see  into  character  with 
a  swiftness  and  power  possessed  by  the  very  few, 
— to  those  with  whom  he  felt  in  sympathy,  and 
who  he  knew  understood  him, — he  was  the  most 
open-hearted,  genial,  and  constant  of  friends, 
without  one  shadow  of  constraint  or  formality. 

The  friendship  of  Lady  Grant,  the  widow  of  the 
well-known  Sir  Hope  Grant,  was  remarkable.  It 
was  like  the  tender  atiection  of  a  near  relative.  Sir 
Hope  and  Lady  Grant  had  been  known  in  India 
as  devoted  Christians,  who  never  avoided  showing 
their  sympathy  with  even  the  most  humble  labourers 
in    Christ's   vineyard.     The  following  anecdote  of 


SIR   HOPE   GRANT.  267 

their  life  at  Meerut  illustrates  this  : — Walking  out 
late  one  evening,  they  saw  lights,  and  heard  sing- 
ing in  a  small  building.     They  went  in  and  found 
it  was  a  soldiers'  chapel,  of  which  they  had  never 
even  heard.    Among  the  soldiers  present  there  were 
only  two   of  the   Lancers    (Grant's  regiment),  the 
one  named  Williams,  and  the  other  named  Tabor. 
Hearing  that  the  former  was  in  the  habit  of  giving 
addresses  in  the  chapel,  Major  Grant  sent  for  him, 
and   learnt   that   he  had   been   preparing  for   the 
Wesleyan    ministry,    when   from    some    unknown 
cause  he  gave  it  np  and  enlisted.     Major  Grant 
went   to   hear   him,   and  w^as    delighted  with   his 
earnestness  and  natural  eloquence.     He  and  Mrs. 
Grant  not  only  attended  themselves,  but  did  all 
they  could  to  induce  the   men   to  do  so.     When, 
many  years   after.   Sir  Hope  was   Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the   Madras  Army — his    last   service   in 
India — working  parties  for  the  w^omen  were  estab- 
lished in  almost  every  regiment,  and  every  Christian 
or  benevolent  work  met  with  ready  sympathy  and 
effectual  help.    This  Christian  aspect  of  his  character 
w^as  noted  in  lines  in  which  the  following  words 
occur : 

"  One  wlio?:e  pious  life  had  no  need  to  divide 
The  Christian  and  the  Captain — well  content 
To  pray  with  his  own  soldiers  bide  by  side." 

His  end  was  peace.  He  more  than  once  expressed 
his  assurance,  "  I  know  that  my  sins  are  forgiven. 
I  know  they  are  washed  away  in  my  Saviour's 
blood."     He  several  times  spoke  of  dying  as  "  going 


268  LADY  GRANT. 


into  another  room  " — "  passing  through  a  dark 
archway " ;  and  when  asked  if  he  were  happy  he 
replied,  "  Perfectly  happy." 

Sir  Hope  and  Lady  Grant  had  just  found  out 
Saphir,  and  begun  to  attend  his  ministry,  before 
Sir  Hope's  death.  Lady  Grant  was  a  singularly 
beautifal  character,  meek,  and  humble,  and  Christ- 
like, full  of  kindness  and  self-abnegation. 

A  soldier  thus  describes  her  sympathy  with  the 
men  and  their  families  in  Lidia  : — "  Our  noble 
chief  and  Lady  Grant,  when  lately  at  our  station, 
were  wont  to  countenance  our  games,  and  to  be 
present  at  our  meetings  of  prayer,  and  her  ladyship 
visited  every  house  in  our  Parcherry,  not  to  inspect 
and  criticize,  but  to  speak  a  kindly  word,  and, 
when  required,  to  extend  a  helping  hand ;  and  to 
this  day,  the  tokens  of  her  kindness  are  exhibited 
in  the  cherished  Bible,  or  in  some  other  beneficial 

gift." 

Lady  Grant  derived  great  benefit  from  the 
ministry  of  Dr.  Saphir,  and  she  became  most 
warmly  attached  to  him  and  to  his  wife.  She  was 
a  frequent  visitant  at  their  house,  and  a  sharer 
in  all  their  joys  and  sorrows.  She  watched  over 
him  as  if  he  had  been  her  son.  Lady  Grant 
always  followed  him  in  his  ministry.  She  went 
first  to  the  church  at  Notting  Hill  ;  then  to 
Kensington  when  he  preached  there,  and  then  to 
Belgravia,  during  the  six  years  of  his  ministry 
there.     She  died  a  few  months  after  his  death. 

Another   friend    greatly    devoted    to    him   was 


MISS   CAVENDISH.  269 

Miss  Cavendish,  of  the  well-known  Cavendish 
family.  Miss  Cavendish  saw  him  frequently,  and 
always  spoke  enthusiastically  to  her  friends  about 
him.  She  also  worked  a  great  deal  for  him,  and 
took  charge  of  all  the  details  of  plans  which  he 
wished  carried  out.  She  raised  large  sums  to  help 
him  in  his  various  enterprises,  and  gave  most 
liberally  to  them  herself.  It  was  by  her  that  the 
arrangements  were  made  for  the  last  course  of 
lectures  delivered  in  Kensinsfton,  which  have  been 
published  since  his  death.  She  was  always  ready 
to  help  him  in  every  enterprise.  Her  unexpected 
death  in  1890,  after  a  few  days'  illness,  at  the  age 
of  about  thirty-five,  was  greatly  felt  by  the  Saphirs. 
Dr.  Saphir  was  with  her  to  the  last. 

During  these  years  there  was  a  constant  struggle, 
as  regards  health.  He  had  been  anxious,  at  the 
beginning  of  his  Notting  Hill  ministry,  that  the 
Rev.  Robert  Taylor  of  Upper  Norwood  should 
become  co-pastor.  Such  an  arrangement  would 
have  removed  many  difficulties,  and  Mr.  Taylor 
thought  of  it  seriously,  from  his  love  to  Saphir, 
and  his  desire  to  save  him  from  anxiety,  for  the 
good  of  the  whole  Church — but  it  did  not  seem 
practicable.  At  first,  however,  he  seemed  to  have 
recovered  his  strength,  and  to  be  able  for  the  work, 
but  from  1875  onwards  it  was  otherwise.  His  true 
position  in  this  later  period  would  have  been  that 
of  a  select  preacher,  with  no  pastoral  connection. 
Difficulties  arose  in  connection  with  his  failure  of 
strength,  which  made  him  anxious  and  low-spirited. 


270  RESIGNATION   OF  CHARGE. 

He  was  of  a  very  nervous  temperament,  and  he 
became  worried  and  ill,  when  he  could  not  accom- 
plish all  that  he  wished,  or  that  was  expected  of 
him.  Complaints  arose  when  he  had  to  be  fre- 
quently absent.  He  therefore  felt  constrained,  to 
the  great  grief  of  many  of  his  congregation,  to 
resigti  his  charge.  The  church  had  been  purchased 
for  him,  and  large  sums  of  money  had  been  spent 
on  it  in  connection  solely  with  his  ministry,  and 
it  did  seem  hard  to  his  devoted  friends  that  he 
should  leave.  Many  were  the  regrets  expressed, 
and  great  were  the  struggles  in  his  own  mind.  He 
resigned, — feeling  however  uncomfortable,  anxious 
and  low-spirited.  Preaching  was  his  delight,  and 
he  was  never  happy,  when  not  regularly  engaged 
in  it.  After  a  time,  he  accepted  another  pastorate, 
where  he  had  many  followers,  but  still  he  had 
never  the  same  joy  and  satisfaction  as  in  his 
ministries  at  Greenwich,  and  during  the  earlier 
years  at  Notting  Hill.  He  was  succeeded  in  the 
Notting  Hill  church  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Sinclair 
Paterson.  Dr.  Paterson  was  a  devoted  friend  and 
admirer  of  Saphir,  and  was  greatly  esteemed  by 
him. 

In  the  year  1878,  Dr.  Saphir  received  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  the  University  of 
Edinburgh.  His  claims  to  such  an  honour  were 
fully  stated  by  the  Rev.  Professor  Charteris,  D.D., 
then  Dean  of  the  Faculty  of  Divinity.  He  was 
very  glad  to  receive  the  degree  from  Edinburgh, 
to  which,  as  a  centre  of  Academic  learning,  he  was 


THE  MISSES  JACOMB.  271 

warmly  attached,  liaviiig  spent  there  his  best  and 
happiest  student  days.  Dr.  Charteris  writes,  re- 
ferrino-  to  Saphir's  head  and  heart  knowledtre  of 
Holy  Scriptures,  as  shown  in  his  writings,  "  I  am 
gkid  he  was  our  D.D." 

Dr.  Sajjhir  spent  about  six  months  in  Scotland, 
chiefly  at  St.  Andrews  and  Edinburgh,  after  his 
resiojnation  of  his  charo-e  at  Nottino;  Hill.  He 
then  returned  to  London,  and  stayed  for  the 
winter  with  his  devoted  friends  the  Misses  Jacomb, 
whose  house  was  often  a  home  to  him  for  months, 
and  with  whom  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sapliir  frequently 
went  for  change  to  favourite  English  resorts.  Both 
he  and  Mrs.  Saphir  had  no  friends  in  Loudon  to 
whom  they  were  more  attached,  or  who  showed 
them  again  and  again,  in  times  of  trial,  more  hearty 
affection  and  genuine  kinduess.  They  mourn  their 
loss  as  if  they  had  been  near  relations.  They 
had  an  intense  enjoyment  in  his  society,  as  had 
all  who  really  knew  him.  There  was  wit,  humour, 
and  transparency,  with  wide  knowledge,  extensive 
reading,  and  sound  judgment  as  to  affairs.  He 
was  always  simple  and  natural,  with  no  assumed 
airs  or  pretended  importance.  Having  stored  his 
furniture  and  given  up  his  house,  he  remained 
with  the  Misses  Jacomb  from  October  to  the 
beginning  of  summer.  Daring  this  period  of  seven 
or  eight  months  he  preached  in  the  mornings  at  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  Kensington,  now  St.  John's, 
of  which  the  Eev.  Dugald.  McColl,  well  known  by 
his  successful  labours  in  the  wynds   of   Glasgow, 


272        SHORT  MINISTRY  AT  KENSINGTON. 

was  the  minister — then,  however,  laid  aside  by 
that  illness  which  caused  his  early  much-lamented 
death.  A  strong  wish  was  expressed  by  many 
that  Saphir  would  become  permanently  associated 
with  this  church,  but  there  was  not  unanimity, 
and  he  did  not  desire  to  remain, — though  he  had 
preached  there  to  large  congregations. 


273 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

MINISTRY  IN   BELGRAVIA. 

Congregation  of  Halkin  St. — Rev.  J.  T.  Middlemiss  bis 
Assistant — Extracts  from  his  Diary,  and  Saphir's  Lettere 
to  him — Record  of  his  Intercourse  with  Saphir — Resigna- 
tion of  Halkin  St.  Church — Lectures  on  the  Divine  Unity 
of  Scripture — Mr.  Grant  Wilson's  Reminiscences — Letter 
to  a  Servant — A  New  School  Minister — To  whom  are 
the  Epistles  addressed? — Carlyle — A  Family  AflBiction — 
Letters  to  a  Widowed  Niece — Letter  to  a  Norwegian  Sea- 
Captain  on  Baptism. 

IN  Feb.  1882  the  congregation  of  Belgrave 
Presbyterian  Church,  which  had  been  vacant 
from  the  time  of  the  transfer  of  Dr.  Sinclair 
Paterson  to  Trinity  Church,  resolved  to  call  Dr. 
Saphir.  He  was  at  first  very  undecided,  but  was 
induced  at  last  to  accept.  Dr.  Paterson,  who  felt 
that  it  would  be  much  better  both  for  Saphir  and 
for  the  cause  of  Christ  that  he  should  have  a 
settled  pastorate,  used  all  his  influence  in  bringing 
about  the  arrangement,  and  mainly  effected  it ; 
and  one  gentleman,  since  dead,  Mr.  Cockburn,  a 
leading  director  of  the  Union  Bank  of  London, 
offered  £200  per  annum  towards  his  salary. 

Mr.  Grant  Wilson,  who  for  his  sake  accepted 
office  as  one  of  the  elders,  and  who  was  a  devoted 
friend,  WTites  in  regard  to  this  period  : — 


274  CONGREGATION   OF  HALKIN  ST. 

*' There  were  cheering  things  in  the  congregation.  Mr. 
Cockburn's  liberality.  Miss  Cavendish  was  ever  ready  to  do 
everything  that  could  be  suggested  for  Dr.  fSaphir's  comfort. 
She  purchased,  at  great  cost,  an  admirable  system  of  ventilation. 
The  foul  air  was  mechanically  exhausted,  and  replaced  by  puri- 
fied air, — when  needful  vvaimed.  She  also  furnished  a  new 
vestry,  and  provided  a  dispensary  at  a  cost  of  £90  per  annum 
for  Sloane  Place.  Lady  Hope  Grant,  Sir  William  McKinnon, 
Lord  lilantyre,  and  many  distinguished  persons,  including  the 
Serjeant-at-Arms  of  the  House  of  Commons  (Gossett)  were 
constant  attendants." 

This  congregation  had  been  ministered  to  for 
many  years  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Alexander,  an  able 
man,  much  loved  by  his  people,  and  then,  as  we 
have  indicated,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Sinclair  Paterson  for 
eight  years.  It  was  arranged  that  Dr.  Saphir  was 
to  take  the  Morning  Service,  and  was  to  have  an 
assistant  to  preach  at  the  Evening  Service  and  to 
care  for  the  pastoral  work.  He  had  in  succession 
several  excellent  assistants,  notably  the  Rev.  J.  T. 
Middlemiss,  now  of  Sunderland,  to  whom  he  was 
much  attached ;  but  the  system  did  not  always 
work  smoothly,  and  he  was  often  cast  down  and 
anxious. 

The  following  extracts  from  his  diary,  kindly 
forwarded  by  Mr.  Middlemiss,  give  a  vivid  picture 
of  Saphir's  varying  states  of  mind,  and  of  the 
anxieties  and  worries,  often  unnecessary,  caused 
by  his  feeble  bodily  health,  which  lay  at  the  root 
of  all  his  changes  and  uncertainties,  and  the  trouble 
of  which  was  always  increasing  in  his  later  years. 

"May  17,  1884.  Dr.  Saphir  contemplates  resigning,  and 
thinks  he  is  not  a  success.     The  congregations  are  good,  the 


MR,   MIDDLEMISS'  DIARY.  275 


church  being  nearly  full.  The  new  Scotch  Church  in  Park 
Street  (St.  Columba)  is  affecting  us,  specially  when  men  like 
Tulloch,  Caird,  and  Macgregor  are  there.  The  real  cause  of  his 
depression  is  Mrs.  Saphir's  illness.  Dr.  Kidd  has  told  Dr.  S. 
that  she  may  not  walk  again.  Much  cheered  by  a  visit  from 
Dr.  Fleming  Steven.<on,  who  advises  him  to  stay,  and  points 
out  that  Belgravia  has  peculiar  difficulties,  so  that  he  need  not 
be  discouraged. 

"June  12,  1884,  Dr.  S.  has  been  for  three  weeks  at 
Tunbridge  Wells.  He  returned  to-day  in  wonderful  spirits, 
quite  a  new  man.  A  specialist  has  informed  him  that  Mrs. 
Saphir's  illness  is  quite  temporary. 

"June  29,  1884.  It  is  customary  for  each  Jew  to  have 
given  him  a  verse,  when  a  child,  which  he  calls  his  verse. 
Dr.  Saphir's  verse  was,  '  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  brought 
thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.' 
The  verse  has  all  his  life  long  been  very  dear  to  him. 

''Oct.  22,  1884.  Dr.  S.  said— 'Pascal's  T'/ioz^^/^ is  have  in- 
fluenced me  more  than  any  book  I  know.'  He  admires  Claus 
Harms  very  much,  and  lent  me  his  Life  to  read.  His  sermons 
are  much  enjoyed  by  Dr.  Saphir.  He  also  spoke  very  highly 
of  a  cultured  Roman  Catholic  divine  whose  writings  he  knows 
— Veille  of  Vienna. 

"Dr.  Saphii'  possesses  all  that  Dr.  Beck  (Tiibingen)  and 
Claus  Harms  published.  He  delights  to  preach.  It  is  no 
trouble  to  preach  to  an  expectant  people.  He  greatly 
advocates  extempore  commenting,  as  the  Scripture  is  read. 
Last  Sabbath  he  never  reached  his  sermon,  but  commented  in 
a  remarkably  powerful  manner  on  Psalm  xxv.  I  may  add 
that  this  was  the  finest  thing  I  ever  heard  Dr.  Saphir  give. 
It  was  purely  spontaneous,  as  he  had  another  sermon  prepared. 
He  spoke  over  half-an-hour. 

"Dec.  9,  1884.  Conversation  turned  on  Dr.  Norman 
McLeod,  whom  Saphir  highly  esteemed.  When  on  the  Con- 
tinent with  him,  Dr.  S.  said,  '  I  was  never  with  him  more  than 
half-an-hour  without  his  mentioning  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
sjDeaking  of  his  soul  or  of  heaven.  Though  he  was  broad 
on  the  Sabbath  question,  no  man  kept  the  Sabbath  more 
simply,  strictly,  or  piously,  even  when  on  the  Continent. 


27G  MR.    MIDDLEMISS'   DIARY. 

"Jan.  18  to  25,  1885.  Dr.  S.  told  me  that  when  a  boy  he 
was  much  in  Vienna  with  his  uncle,  Moritz  Saphir,  who  was 
the  editor  of  a  paper  there.  All  eminent  players  and  singers 
came  to  see  his  uncle.  .  .  .  He  complains  much  about  pains  in 
the  head.  He  '  cannot  work,  and  at  times  feels  stupid.'  When 
quite  at  ease  he  speaks  much  in  Scotch  lingo.  I  may  add  that 
when  in  the  vestry  before  service,  and  thinking  much,  and 
nervous,  he  invariably  spoke  to  me  in  German. 

"March  9,  1885.  Exceedingly  nervous  in  view  of  Session 
meeting ;  no  sleep  last  night.  Had  been  again  thinking  of 
resignation.  This  meeting  led  him  to  think  of  remaining 
another  year  at  Belgravia.  He  returned  home  quite  cheery ; 
both  Dr.  and  Mrs.  S.  in  best  spirits. 

"  Dr.  S.  thinks  he  is  himself  too  metaphysical  and  theo- 
logical to  be  a  good  popular  preacher,  but  he  is  too  fond  of 
preaching  and  of  taking  part  in  the  congregational  service  to 
leave  that,  and  devote  himself  to  theology  proper. 

"Oct.  25.  Said  to-day  in  his  sermon,  of  John  x.  14:  'I 
think  without  doubt  this  is  the  most  precious  verse  of 
Scripture.' 

"  Preached  at  Greenwich  last  week  to  large  congregation.  A 
big  working-man  came  to  him  after  the  service  and  wanted 
to  say  something,  but  could  not  get  it  out  for  sobs.  At  last 
he  said,  '  Don't  forget  to  remember  us.'  This  impressed  Dr. 
S.  much. 

"  Dec.  3.  Unable  to  make  up  his  mind — whether  to  resign 
or  wait  until  June.  Does  not  know  whether  to  have  another 
assistant,  or  colleague  and  successor.  Asked  me  if  I  would 
remain  as  colleague.  His  favourite  hymn  is  that  of  Zinzen- 
dorff,  translated  by  John  "Wesley — 'Jesus,  Thy  blood  and 
righteousness.'  Portraits  in  his  study — Gossner,  Nitzch,  Glaus 
Harms,  Louis  Harms,  Melancthon,  McCheyne,  and  Spener. 

The  following  are  extracts  from  letters  of  Dr. 
Saphir  to  Mr.  Middlemiss  : — 

"  You  know  my  views  of  the  sanguine  expectations  of  Pres- 
byterians, looking  merely  to  population,  &c.  The  minister  is 
the  martyr,  and  is  judged  by  outward  success,  when  it  is  often 
quite  impossible." 


LETTERS   TO  MR.    MIDDLEMISS.  277 


"  I  am  sorry  to  think  that  in  London  and  in  our  peculiar 
circumstances  advertising  on  a  Lirge  scale  and  persistently  is 
our  main  chance.  It  is  peculiarly  distasteful  to  me.  So  like 
Pears'  Soap,  &c." 

"  The  conviction  on  the  Second  Advent  will  come  to  you  in 
good  time;  it  is  rather  the  result  of  the  impression  of  the 
whole  tenor  of  Scripture  than  the  exegesis  of  a  few  passages. 
But  you  need  not  be  anxious  nor  impatient  about  it.  Here 
also  the  letter  killeth ;  it  is  the  spiritual  attitude  towards 
Christ  and  against  the  world  which  is  everything.  I  some- 
times feel  as  if  we  talked  about  the  Lord's  return  too  much, 
and  not  with  the  kind  of  timid  reticence  which  a  real  affec- 
tion  would  produce.  But  I  may  be  morbid  in  this  also :  my 
present  tendency  is  silence.'' 

In  a  further  communication  Mr.  Micldlemiss 
says  : — 

"  On  my  first  going  to  Belgrave  as  Dr.  Saphir's  assistant, 
his  reception  of  me  was  very  cordial.  I  had  not  been  long 
there  however  before  I  found  that  he  was  somewhat  restless. 
He  was  not  sure  whether  he  would  long  remain  the  minister 
of  that  church  or  not.  He  contemplated  resigning  now  and 
then,  during  the  whole  time  I  was  with  him.  At  times  he 
was  fully  persuaded  to  give  up,  at  other  times  he  was  just  as 
desirous  to  remain.  The  causes  for  these  states  of  mind  were 
several.  The  most  important  amongst  them  was  his  oimi 
loeakness. 

"  He  was  seldom  well.  I  cannot  say  that  he  ever  had  more 
than  seven  consecutive  days  of  good  health.  Yery  often  he 
was  well  one  day  and  unwell  the  next.  I  never  knew  any 
individual  so  variable.  To-day  he  might  be  on  the  mountain- 
top,  enjoying  exquisite  visions,  to-morrow  he  would  be  down 
in  the  valley,  wrapt  in  gloom.  Dr.  Saphir  lived  a  retired, 
simple  life,  but  when  his  liver  was  troubling  him  he  found  it 
difficult  to  view  things  in  their  right  perspective.  He  took 
distorted  views  of  matters,  magnified  little  troubles,  and 
became  despondent.  Hence  he  so  often  thought  he  was  not 
succeeding  in  Belgrave;  and  his  extreme  sensitiveness,  leading 


278  RECORD   OF 


him  to   imagine  that  the  office-bearers  there  might  think  so 
too,  led  him  to  speak  of  resigning. 

"  The  next  cause  was  Mrs.  Saphirs  illness. 
"  It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  try  and  tell  how  much  they 
were  to  each  other.  They  lived  for,  and  were  tenderly  solicitous 
of  each  other.  As  circumstances  afterwards  showed,  they 
could  not  live  apart.  His  decease  was  no  surprise  to  me, 
when  she  had  gone.  Her  illness  made  him  ill.  And  when  her 
medical  man  told  him  that  she  was  likely  to  be  permanently 
invalided,  he  almost  lost  heart.  He  desired  to  submit  to  God's 
will.  He  thought  he  ought  to  give  up  his  ministerial  duties 
and  attend  on  her,  and  yet  he  felt  called  to  preach  the  gospel. 
She  knew  he  would  not  be  happy  unless  proclaiming  God's 
truth,  and  yet  she  grieved  to  see  him  troubling  himself  about 
matters  in  connection  with  Belgrave  church.  After  a  brief 
rest  at  a  watering-place,  where  a  doctor  had  said  she  would 
soon  recover,  he  came  back  bright,  buoyant,  and  hopeful.  A 
great  load  had  been  lifted  from  his  mind. 

"Preaching  only  in  the  morning,  and  coming  seldom  into 
contact  even  with  the  leaders  of  the  church,  he  never  knew 
the  people,  he  never  knew  how  they  regarded  him,  or  how 
he  helped  them.  Any  results  of  his  ministry  came  only 
through  people  who  visited  him. 

"  During  the  whole  of  my  intercourse  (two  and  a  half  years) 
with  him  he  was  exceedingly  kind.  He  welcomed  me  to  his 
home,  and  admitted  me  to  the  closest  intimacy.  No  one  could 
have  been  more  generous  or  considerate.  Whenever  he  was 
not  going  to  preach  at  the  morning  service,  he  offered  to 
give  a  fee  for  supply,  if  I  thought  the  two  services  would  be 
too  much.  I  was  struck  too  with  the  phrase  which  he  in- 
variably used,  when  introducing  me  to  strangers.  He  always 
said,  '  Mr.  M.,  loho  is  associated  loith  me  in  the  ministry  at 
Belgrave.'  It  reminded  me  of  Leitch  Ritchie's  invitation 
to  James  Payn.  Piitchie  was  editor  of  Chambers'  Journal, 
and  he  wrote,  '  I  have  long  felt  the  need  of  help ;  will  you 
come  and  be  my  co-editor?'  Most  men  would  have  said 
sn6-editor.  He  possessed  a  large  vein  of  humour,  and  in 
his  younger  days  he  had  written  many  light  pieces  which 
never  saw  the  light.     When  quite  well  he  would  say  crisp, 


INTERCOURSE    WITH  MIDDLEMISS.  279 


bright,  sometimes  pointed  and  keen  things,  and  not  iin- 
freqviently  looked  a  little  startled  at  his  audacity,  in  having 
given  utterance  to  them.  This  happened  in  his  liveliest  moods. 
He  enjoyed  a  good  story  very  much. 

"There  was  a  kindliness  and  tenderness  about  him  which 
made  him  very  attractive,  with  great  simplicity  and  childlike- 
ness  of  disposition.  These  features  of  his  character  enabled 
him  easily  to  throw  himself  into  the  spirit  of  Faber's  words  : — 

*  If  our  love  were  but  more  simple, 
"We  should  take  Him  at  His  word ; 
And  our  lives  would  be  all  sunshine 
In  the  sweetness  of  our  Lord.' 

"  Mrs.  Saphir  was  frank,  outspoken,  and  very  tender-hearted. 
If  she  took  to  any  one,  she  overflowed  with  kindness.  Like 
Dr.  S.,  she  was  extremely  sensitive." 

Dr.  Sapliir  writes  of  a  visit  to  his  old  church  at 
Greenwich  : — 

''I  cannot  describe  how  thankful  I  feel  for  this  visit.  I 
had  no  idea  my  ministry  was  such  a  reality  to  the  people,  up  to 
this  day.  The  church  was  crowded,  and  more  than  one  hundred 
people  spoke  to  me  afterwards.  The  dear  people  who  are  now 
scattered  in  different  congregations  took  their  old  seats  in  the 
church.  Many  young  men  and  women  who  had  been  very 
dear  to  me  were  there.  Altogether  I  am  quite  delighted  and 
strengthened  in  the  faith ;  only  sorry  I  had  ever  left  them  ! 
But  no  doubt  it  was  to  be  so.  Sara  was  with  me,  and  greatly 
enjoyed  it." 

Dr.  Sa^^hir  remained  at  Halkin  Street  till  April 
1888,  when  he  resigned  his  charge.  The  congrega- 
tion suffered  a  good  deal  from  the  j^roximitj  of 
Dr.  McLeod's  church  ;  and  he  became  disheartened 
when  the  congregation  in  any  way  diminished. 

After  his  resignation  he  continued  to  live  in 
Lansdowne  Koad,   Netting   Hill ;    but   now    with- 


280  LECTURES  IN  KENSINGTON. 

out  any  charge,  frequently  preachiDg  in  different 
churches.  In  the  winter  of  1888-89  he  delivered 
a  course  of  Lectures  in  Kensington,  which  have 
been  published  since  his  death — the  most  im- 
portant perhaps  of  all  his  works,^  and  a  valuable 
contribution  to  the  present  controversy  on  the  Old 
Testament, — in  which  he  was  entirely  opposed  to 
the  revolutionary  attempts  of  the  so-called  higher 
critics  of  recent  times,  whose  representations  he 
regarded  as  mere  fancies  emanating  really  from  a 
pantheistic  spirit,  and  irreconcilable  with  the  idea 
of  the  Divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  and  also 
with  the  internal  evidence  of  the  books  themselves. 

Mr.  Grant  Wilson  writes  : — 

"These  matters  were  constantly  in  his  heart,  and  formed  a 
great  part  of  his  conversation.  A  part  of  the  Parade  at  St. 
Leonard's  seems  almost  sacred  to  me — that  between  the  Colon- 
nade and  Dormer's  Library.  My  children  called  it  the 
Pilgrims'  Path,  as  Saphir  and  I  paced  it  hour  by  hour — two 
greybeards — in  earnest  talk  ;  he  pouring  forth  all  he  felt 
about  the  fallings  away  from  the  truth,  the  many  false  teach- 
ings, the  ignorance  of  much  of  them,  and  their  frequent 
unfairness ;  how,  routed  on  one  point,  they  had  often  not 
the  honesty  to  confess  defeat,  but  simply  attacked  in  a  new 
quarter ; — I  deeply  sympathizing,  and  chiefly  a  listener. 

''  His  early  life  was  most  interesting,  as  he  spoke  of  it. 
The  devout  father  *  waiting  for  the  consoltition  of  Israel,' 
and  teaching  his  children  so  carefully  in  all  he  knew,  thus 
making  him  so  thoroughly  furnished,  according  to  the  Jews' 
religion,  and  preparing  him  for  his  after  work  as  a  Christian 
teacher.     His  pictures  of  his  father,  and  of  his  devout  home- 

1  Tlte  Divine  Unity  of  Scripture.  Hodder  and  Stoughton. 
1892. 


MR.    GRANT    WILSON';S   REMINISCENCES.     281 

life,  and  training  of  his  children,  had  a  great  charm  about 
them,  and  I  recall  them  with  peculiar  pleasure. 

"  A  special  charm  in  Dr.  Saphir  and  his  preaching  was  its 
singular  freshness.  *  We  have  found  the  Messiah.'  '  We 
have  found  Him  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets, 
did  write — -Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Son  of  Joseph  ' — found  con- 
tinuous expression  in  him.  The  find  seemed  so  real,  so  nevj 
and  so  glorious,  and  so  ever-present,  that  it  became  a  new 
revelation  to  all  who  came  into  contact  with  him. 

•'  Another  feature  of  his  preaching  was  his  power,  after 
a  few  words  in  passing,  to  summarize  or  characterize  the 
various  books  of  Scripture.  His  marvellous  knowledge  and 
constant  study  eiiablerl  him  thus  to  give  us  very  briefly  the 
history,  scope,  and  main  characteristics  of  the  prophets,  &c. 

"  I  first  heard  Dr.  Saphir  in  Kidley  Herschell's  church — 
Ridley  Herschell  was  the  father  of  the  present  Lord  Chan- 
cellor. Dr.  Saphir  was  introducing  his  brother-in-law.  Dr. 
Schwartz,  as  Herschell's  successor.  Many  think  of  Saphir  as 
deeply  learned,  and  a  wonderful  feeler  of  the  flock;  above 
all,  as  one  who  provided  treasures,  rew  and  old,  for  devout 
Christians.  But  he  was  also  wonderful  in  his  simplicity  and 
clearness." 

Wc  have  received  the  following  interesting 
letter,  enclosing  one  from  Dr.   Saphir  : — 

"Having  seen,"  says  the  writer,  "your  letter  in  Word  and 
Work,  in  the  beginning  of  September,  I  have  sent  this  letter 
from  dear  Dr.  Saphir  in  re[  ly  to  one  I  had  written  to  him, 
telling  him  how  God  had  blessed  his  ministry  to  me. 

"  1  am  a  servant.  I  was  away  from  London,  and  had  not 
the  letter  with  me.  I  had  the  privilege  of  hearing  Dr.  Saphir 
nearly  every  Sunday  morning  while  he  was  minister  of  Bel- 
grave  church,  and  his  ministry  was  blessed  to  me  far  above 
what  I  could  have  asked  or  thought ;  and  if  you  think,  sir, 
there  is  anything  in  this  letter  that  might  be  helpful  to  any 
other  soul  who  may  be  going  through  the  depths  of  spiritual 
darkness  and  trouble,  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  sending  it.     I  value  it  amongst  my  best  treasures." 

T 


^282  LETTER   fO   A    SERVANT. 

The  letter  is  as  follows  : — 

"  I  thank  you  very  niiicli  for  your  kind  note.  It  is  a 
very  great  encouragement  to  me  to  hear  that  my  words  are 
blessed  to  my  hearers,  and  that  God  is  pleased  to  comfort  and 
restore  any  of  His  children  through  my  ministiy.  Though 
a  minister  ought  never  to  doubt  that  God  "vvill  bless  the 
message,  yet  faith  is  often  painfully  tested ;  and  a  note 
like  yours  is  very  refreshing.  I  am  not  able  to  see  much  of 
my  hearers ;  and  though  I  feel  my  heart  very  much  drawn 
out  every  Sunday,  to  lead  each  one  to  the  Fountain  of  living 
waters,  I  often  wonder  how  far  my  words  hnd  entrance  into 
the  mind  and  heart.  The  believer  often  feels  very  lonely, 
and  thinks  no  one  has  come  through  such  painful  experiences 
and  depths  as  he  has ;  and  Satan  often  uses  this  feeling  of 
desolateness  and  sadness  to  inject  doubts  and  hard  thoughts. 
But  if  we  read  the  Psalms,  the  prayer  of  Samuel,  and  many 
other  passages  of  Scripture,  we  find  that  Ave  are  not  alone, 
and  that  all  the  children  of  God  pass  through  manifold  and 
heavy  soul-trials.  Psalm  xiii.  is  precious.  Peter's  great  object 
is  to  'strengthen  the  brethren,'  because  he  knew  from  ex- 
perience the  weakness  of  the  believers,  apart  from  Christ. 
And  all  these  experiences  have  only  one  object :  to  keep  us 
humble,  and  to  make  us  debtors  to  grace  ; — the  longer  we  live, 
the  more.  In  heaven  we  shall  be  so  clothed  with  humility, 
that  there  will  be  no  need  of  these  painful  experiences,  to 
make  us  feel  the  exceeding  preciousness  of  the  Blood  of  Christ. 
I  trust  you  will  continue  resting  in  the  Lord  and  praising 
His  grace.  It  is  a  good  thing  that  the  heart  be  established 
with  grace. 

"Again  thanking  you  for  your  note,  and  hoping  that  you 
will  remember  in  your  prayers  one  who  is  in  much  weakness 
both  of  body  and  soul, 

"  I  am, 

"  Yours  faithfully, 

''A.    S.M'IIIK. 

«' p^g. — Accept  a  few  of  my  writings  with  my  best  wishes." 


.1    'NEW  SCHOOL'   MINISTER.  283 

We  give  here  some  extracts  from  further  letters 
of  these  later  years,  to  Lady  Kinloch  : — 

A    "  NEW   SCHOOL  "    MINISTEE. 

''  The  enclosed  note  of  the  minister  is  quite  plain.  He  is 
evidently  in  a  perplexed  state,  and  fancies  he  is  one  of  the 
apostles  and  martyrs  of  the  '  New  School.'  I  am  very  sorry. 
It  can  only  do  harm  to  ventilate  these  negative  opinions  in 
the  pulpit.  A  Bible  without  inspiration  (and  lax  views  of 
inspiration  virtually,  to  the  general  public,  amount  to  no 
inspiration),  an  atonement  without  substitution,  a  Christianity 
without  conversion  and  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost — these 
generally  go  together,  and  of  course  such  teaching  will  con- 
ciliate outsiders — to  remain  as  they  are  !  and  only  starve  or 
ruin  the  sheep.  I  have  the  greatest  horror  of  the  whole 
school,  and  that  from  experience.  I  have  sympathy  and  also 
hope  when  I  see  in  Germany  or  elsewhere  a  Unitarian  or 
sceptic  making  his  way  to  the  light,  holding  lax  views;  he  will 
likely  come  on  to  full  knowledge  ;  but  to  hear  our  Presbyterian 
ministers  talk  in  this  broad  way  is  to  me  perfectly  distressing. 
But  if  I  may  suggest  anything  to  you,  I  would  to  a  certain 
extent  ignore  and  avoid  the  subject  with  Mr.  M.  For  he  will 
only  feel  bound  to  emphasize  his  crotchets  all  the  more.  Dwell 
on  what  of  truth  positive  about  Christ  and  spiritual  experiences 
he  does  teach,  and  then  he  will  see  what  you  think  truly 
important.  But  you  know  best.  Are  we  helping  people  to 
take  hold  of  Christ  by  repentance  and  faith  ?  It  is  not  strict 
theories  of  inspiration,  &c.,  which  keep  men  from  coming  to 
the  Saviour  and  beginning  a  new  life,  or  seeking  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  These  '  broad  men '  are  great  Philistines  and 
pedants  and  book  men.  Where  are  they  when  there  is  a  real 
revival  1 " 

TO    WHOM   AKE   THE    EPISTLES    ADDRESSED  ? 

Writing  in  regard  to  the  present  state  of  aifciirs 
in  the  Churches  he  says  :— 

''I  think  the  whole  Bible  is  given  by  God  to  Israel  and  the 


284     THE  EPISTLES—TO   WHOM  ADDRESSED. 

Church,  before  the  whole  world  and  for  the  whole  world ;  but 
it  is  evident  that  much  of  the  Bible  is  only  addressed  to,  and 
understood  by,  the  true  Believers.  Every  author  writes  for  a 
certain  public,  who  can  understand  and  appreciate  him ;  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  true  author  of  Scripture,  inspired  the 
Bible,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfected,  &c.  Of  course 
we  urge  all  people  to  read  the  Bible,  and  to  regard  it  as  a 
message  to  them  from  above,  and  we  know  not  when  this 
reading  may  become  a  real  revelation.  The  Epistles  are 
plainly  addressed  only  to  saints,  believers,  spiritual  men,  who 
have  an  unction  from  above.  This  I  think  most  important, 
and  the  neglect  of  this  truth  has  greatly  contributed  to  the 
utterly  worldly  condition  of  the  Churches.  I  shall  try  to 
refute  briefly  what  is  said  against  this  view :  (1)  The 
Epistles  are  addressed  to  professing  Christians  (whether  con- 
verted or  not).  In  Apostolic  days  the  Jews  and  former 
pagans  who  professed  Christianity,  professed  also  that  they 
believed  personally,  and  had  experienced  the  grace  of  God. 
Although  there  were  hypocrites,  &c.,  they  were  men  and 
women,  who,  in  repentance  and  faith,  separated  themselves 
from  the  world,  and  gave  themselves  to  Christ  and  the  new 
life.  Then  there  were  tares  among  the  wheat ;  now,  I  fear,  we 
have  only  wheat  among  the  tares?  (2)  The  Epistles,  it  is  said, 
are  addressed  to  the  baptized.  Yes ;  but  the  baptized  then, 
as  Acts  ii.  tells  us,  were  believers,  who  from  the  heart  had 
received  the  Word  of  God,  and  were  thus  sealed — not  like  our 
mass  of  traditionally  baptized,  most  of  whom  have  no  experi- 
ence of  Christ,  many  of  whom  are  worldly  and  dead,  not  a  few 
of  whom  are  Agnostics.  This  produces  the  strange  phenomenon 
of  Churches  which  ought  to  be  a  witness  against  the  world, 
actually  cherishing  and  encouraging  the  world  as  part  of  them- 
selves. Christendom  is  fast  ripening  into  the  apostasy.  Ach 
iveh !  I  think  the  Plymouthists  err  not  so  much  in  their 
principles,  as  the  application  of  them."  He  adds  :  "  We  are  in 
the  times  of  the  Gentiles,  when  Israel  (! !)  is  in  unbelief,  when 
the  Church  is  a  witness  and  suffering,  when  Christendom  is 
ripening  to  the  great  Apostasy.  Then  comes  the  Parousia, 
or  Advent,  and  the  New  Dispensation.  We  know  enough  to 
keep  us  hopeful  and  watchful,  to  warn  us  against  Christendom 


DELITZSCWS  '  INSTirUTUM  JUDAICUM:     285 

and  its  whole  Wesen,  and  also  to  make  us  content  to  be  a 
minority — *The  stupid  party.'  You  see  I  am  enough  of  a 
Plymouthist  to  make  me  feel  very  lonely  among  the 
Presbyterians,  and  yet  I  could  not  be  a  Plymouthist,  as  1 
think  they  evade  difficulties  and  trials  which  are  put  upon  us, 
and  as  I  think  they  are  unscriptural  in  their  method — without 
Presbyters.  I  console  myself  with  individual  believers  in 
all  the  Churches.  The  Churches  are  getting  most  fearfully 
Gentiley  and  unscriptural." 

DELITZSCH's    'INSTITUTUM    JUDAICUM.' 

"I  am  now  very  much  interested  in  Professor  Delitzsch's 
Jewish  work.  The  Institutum  Jiidaicinn,  which  is  now  planted 
in  seven  German  universities,  seems  to  have  arisen  in  a  meeting 
of  a  few  theological  students  for  prayer  for  Israel,  at  which 
they  read  my  tract,  Wer  ist  der  Apostat  ?  I  had  a  very 
beautiful  letter  telling  me  this  from  the  secretary." 

Of  the  aspects  of  the  time  he  says  : — 

"  We  are  approaching  very  severe  sifting  times  in  our 
Churches.  There  is  little  faith  in  the  authority  of  God's 
Word,  and  we  shall  soon  see  the  true  character  of  philosophical 
Christianity.  I  think  the  fewer  books  we  read  the  better ;  it 
is  like  times  of  cholera,  &c.,  when  we  should  only  drink  filtered 
water,  &c.  Psalm  xci.  5,  6,  is  a  promise  for  these  days.  There 
is  no  bridge  between  God's  truth  and  man's  wisdom,  and  I 
suspect  most  attempts  to  conciliate  reason,  of  treason." 

In  a  letter  from  Brighton  he  says — 

"There  is  no  brtdr/e  between  reason  and  the  un discoverable 
truths  of  re%'elation,  and  we  cannot  save  any  one  the  leap  of 
faith." 

Speaking  of  Carlyle,  he  says  : — 

"  What  a  curious  man  Carlyle  was,  according  to  Froude's 
statements.  One  cannot  help  liking  him  in  spite  of  all  his 
oddities  and  faults,  and  his  sad  want  of  Christian  faith.     His 


286  .1    BITTER    FAMILY  AFFLICTION. 

estimate  of  art  is  refreshing  in  this  age  of  altogether  morbid 
artisticness.  I  was  very  pleased  to  notice  he  liked  Tieck's 
novels.  I  see  to-day  that  Ranke,  in  his  ninetieth  year,  has 
published  another  volume  of  his  WeltgescJiichfe.  The  first  two 
volumes  I  have  read  are  wonderful,  and  such  pleasant  reading, 
as  his  style  is  very  lucid." 

A    BITTER    FAMILY    AFFLICTION. 

There  was  a  favourite  niece,  the  daughter  of  a 
deceased  sister  of  Mrs.  Saphir,  who  was  much 
with  the  Saphirs,  both  l)efore  and  after  her  great 
sorrow,  and  greatly  beloved  by  them.  She  had 
been  married  to  a  highly  respected  physician  in 
Dublin,  a  Dr.  Maturin,  who,  about  half  a  year 
after  the  marriage,  was  suddenly  removed  by 
death,  resulting  from  his  having  performed  a 
dangerous  operation  for  another  doctor.  It  was 
a  heart-rending  grief,  which  brought  on  severe 
illness,  and  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Saphir  felt  the  deepest 
sympathy  and  sorrow.  The  two  following  letters 
written  at  the  time,  with  their  profound  view  of 
the  love  of  God  even  in  the  midst  of  most  bitter 
afflictions,  may  be  a  comfort  to  many  who  have 
lost  beloved  friends.     The  first  is  dated  Nov.  27: — 

"Dearest  Leila, 

"  I  need  not  assure  you  how  deeply  we  sympathize 
with  you,  and  how  constantly  we  have  been  thinking  of  you 
and  your  sorrow  these  last  days.  .  .  .  We  are  greatly  re- 
lieved to  hear  that  you  have  your  dear  husband's  mother  with 
you,  for  no  one  could  sympathize  with  you  so  fully  at  this  sad 
time.  .  .  .  Although  in  real  heart-grief  God  only  can  give 
consolation  and  strength,  it  is  a  great  help  to  have  the  com- 
panionship of  those  dear  to  us.  You  know  that  we  also,  and 
your  other  uncles  and  aunts,  feel  with  you  in  this  sore  trial. 


COMFOUTIXG   LETTERS    TO   A    NIECE. 


You  can  only  be  still  and  silent  before  God,  and  wait  on  Him. 
It  appears  very  dark  and  overwhelming;  but  we  must  exercise 
faith  in  Him  who  is  infinitely  wise  and  loving.  Only  He 
can  enable  you  to  submit  to  His  will  without  bitterness.  It 
is  beyond  human  power,  but  God  can  and  does  by  His  Spirit 
heal  broken  hearts,  and  He  can  comfort  where  all  earthly 
consolations  are  vain.  We  think  of  you  night  and  day, 
dearest  Leila,  and  we  know  that  you  will  bear  up,  and  that 
God  will  uphold  and  strengthen  you  in  this  hour  of  grief  and 
trial. 

'*  Your  aunt  and  I  long  to  see  you.  It  would  be  our 
greatest  pleasure  to  have  you,  and  we  are  if  possible  more 
(|uiet  than  ever.  .  .  .  Whenever  you  want  quiet  or  change, 
only  drop  us  a  card  at  any  time ;  and  it  will  be  always  con- 
venient and  a  joy  to  have  you,  both  to  yoiu^  aunt,  who  loves 
you  like  a  daughter,  and  to  me." 

The  other  letter  is  as  follows — 

"  Dearest  Leila, 

"  We  wonder  at  not  hearing  from  you,  and  your  aunt 
is  afraid  that  you  did  not  look  on  my  letter  as  from  her  also. 
The  fact  is,  she  feels  too  deeply  with  and  for  you  to  write 
herself.  I  can  assure  you  that  you  are  rarely  out  of  her 
mind,  and  tliat  nearly  every  night  she  lies  awake  thinking  of 
you.  And  I  am  sure  she  never  forgets  you  in  her  prayers. 
Indeed  I  have  almost  daily  to  comfort  her.  You  know  her 
sensitive  nature,  and  that  she  specially  shrinks  from  writing. 
Bat  she  is  full  of  love  to  you,  and  has  been  watching  the  post 
constantly,  to  hear  from  you. 

"I  also  have  thought  much  about  you,  and  I  wish  I  could 
liave  a  quiet  talk  with  you.  Although  I  have  not  come 
through  a  trial  so  severe  as  yours  must  be,  I  and  your  dear 
aunt  know  something  of  the  anguish  of  losing  one  in  whom 
our  affections  were  centred,  and  whose  place  nothing  can  fill 
up."  (He  refers  here  to  the  loss  of  their  only  child.)  "And 
as  we  go  on  in  life  we  must  sooner  or  later  learn  what  at  first 
seems  a  bitter  lesson,  but  is  meant  to  yield  peaceable  fruits, 
and  fill  the  heart  with  a  peace  which  will  never  fail.  But 
there  are   sore  difficulties  besetting  us  in  the  loneliness    of 


288  COMFORTING   LETTER    TO 

bereavement.  I  hear  you  are  regretting  the  neglect  of  rertain 
things,  which  might  have  issued  in  recovery.  Let  me  assure 
you,  from  a  long  experience  as  a  minister,  that  there  is  scarcely 
a  death  in  which  survivors  have  not  such  regrets.  I  know 
them  from  my  own  experience.  They  are  very  tei-rible  and 
gnawing,  but,  I  am  sure,  they  are  generally  quite  false.  This, 
however,  cannot  be  proved  mathematically,  (at  least  some- 
times). We  must  therefore  rise  to  the  only  true  view  of 
God's  supremacy  and  providence,  which  embraces  every  cir- 
cumstance and  detail,  '  If  Thou  hadst  been  here,'  said  the 
mourning  sister,  '  my  brother  would  not  have  died.'  It  was 
true,  in  one  sense ;  but  Christ  pur[  osely  did  not  go  there 
after  He  had  received  the  message,  '  He  Avhom  Thou  lovest  is 
sick.'  He  wished  and  purposed  that  Lazarus  should  die,  that 
God's  glory  in  him  should  be  manifested.  No  mistake  of  ours 
can  c  )me  in  reality  between  God's  counsel  and  love  and  the 
individual ;  and  all  secondary  causes  and  circumstances  must 
be  viewed  as  orlered  by  His  wisdom,  permitted  by  His  will, 
and  overruled  by  Llis  law. 

"  Such  thoughts  must  be  resisted,  dear  Leila  ;  they  throw 
no  light,  but  utter  darkness,  on  oiu'  minds,  and  fill  us  with 
doubt  and  distrust  Godwards. 

"  I  have  often  felt  perfectly  unable  to  say  a  word  to  the 
bereaved,  knowing  the  desolateness  and  sorrow  of  mourning 
hearts.  But  if  I  had  more  love  and  more  faith,  how  much  is 
to  be  said  to  comfort  and  to  raise  the  bowed  down !  One 
thing  is  clear,  that  the  wretched  unbelief  and  Agnosticism  has 
NOTHING  to  say  ;  no  loving  Father,  no  sympathizing  Saviour, 
no  Spirit  above,  able  and  yearning  to  lift  up  our  spirit,  no 
endless  conscious  life  with  Christ  and  all  the  Saints,  and  no 
resurrection  in  the  likeness  of  Ciirist's  body. 

"  But  I  believe — and  this  too  from  my  own  experience — 
that  there  is  no  lasting  consolation  and  no  true  remedy  for 
such  heart-ache  as  is  yours,  but  our  setting  our  affections 
supremely  on  Christ,  and  loving  God  with  all  our  heart,  and 
finding  in  Him  our  bliss  and  heaven.  There  is  an  idolatry 
which  follows  the  dear  departed  ;  and  yet  God's  loving  purpose 
in  ALL  His  dealings  with  us,  is  to  make  us  love  Him  supremely, 
and  be  happy  in  His  love. 


.4    WIDOWED   NIECE.  280 

"  Occupation,  work  even  of  benevolence,  only  postpones  and 
Mdes  the  great  and  only  step  that  has  to  be  taken,  although 
it  has  its  own  use,  and  afterii-ards  is  strengthening  and  com- 
forting. Believe  it,  that  tlie  Love  of  God  in  Christ,  and  a 
spiritual  life  in  Him,  now  on  earth  and  hereafter,  are  great 
realities,  though  we  speak  of  and  realize  them  so  little,  that 
when  they  are  brought  before  us  we  shrink  from  them  as  if 
they  were  shadows,  and  our  ordinary  life  substance. 

"  And  in  this  renewed  and  deepened  act  of  faith,  God, 
knowing  all  our  weakness  and  sorrows,  is  full  of  tenderness, 
and  knows  how  to  deal  with  the  bruised  reed. 

''  Job,  in  his  sudden  bereavement,  remembered  that  the  same 
Lord  who  h;id  taken  away  his  children  had  given  them.  All 
the  sunshine  and  joy  of  the  past  was  GocVs  gift,  and  does  He 
change?  He  is  the  same  loving  One  in  taking  as  in  giving. 
Blessed  be  the  Name  of  the  Lord  !  His  Name,  for  to  us 
Christians  He  is  not  anonymous,  but  our  Father  in  Christ. 

"  If  we  have — and  I  know  how  difficult  it  is — left  all  in 
God,  and  believe  and  submit,  then  in  addition  to  Himself,  God 
will  give  us  also  the  consolation  of  finding  our  loved  ones 
again,  when  we  can  never  lose  them.  I  have  always  held  that 
we  cannot  love  wife,  or  child,  or  friend  too  much,  if  we  love 
them  imder  God,  and  with  God,  and  in  God. 

''  But  I  fear  I  may  have  wearied  you.  All  I  can  add  is, 
that  I  hnoio  what  I  have  said,  and  that  I  have  said  it  with 
the  truest  love  and  sympathy." 

LETTER   TO    A   NORWEGIAN    SEA-CAPTAIN    ON 
BAPTISMAL    REGENERATION. 

The  following  letter  has  been  sent  to  us  by  a 
Norwegian  sea-captain,  who  never  saw  Dr.  Saphir, 
but  had  been  greatly  impressed  by  his  writings. 
He  thus  describes  his  own  relation  to  him.  The 
letter  of  Dr.  Saphir  is  on  the  subject  of  Baptismal 
Regeneration.  Captain  Hoyer  writes  to  us  from 
Arendal  in  South  Norway,  December  13,  1892. 


290        NORWEGIAN   SEA-CAPTAIN  S   LETTEFx. 


"  What  gave  occasion  for  me  to  get  a  letter  from  Dr.  Saphir 
I  will  tell  you.  I  am  a  Norwegian  sea-captain,  and  as  such 
I  have  had  opportunity  to  get  acquainted  with  his  books,  and 
also  been  in  his  church,  Ils'otting  Hill,  in  London ;  but  he  was 
absent  for  his  health  then,  and  I  did  not  see  him.  But  I 
learned  to  appreciate  his  writings,  and  how  I  love  the  man, 
though  I  never  saw  him  !  What  spiritual  food  his  expositions 
are  ! — no  sentimentalism,  but  deep,  solid,  spiritual  nourishment 
for  the  soul.  I  have  got  most  out  of  his  writings,  and  they 
are  my  choicest  readings.  Now  I  was  brought  up  and  con- 
nected with  the  Lutheran  Church ;  but  when  I  came  to  examine 
the  sacramental  doctrine  on  Baptismal  Regeneration  in  the 
light  of  God's  Word,  I  had  to  give  it  up,  and  I  found  the 
reformed  doctrine  more  scriptural.  My  country  is  all  Lutheran 
in  doctrine  except  some  of  the  Dissenters,  and  they  stick  to  it 
very  strictly,  the  chief  reason  for  which  I  may  confidently 
say  is  want  of  enlightenment.  So  I  determined  to  write  a 
treatise  on  the  subject,  and  in  order  to  know  what  doctrine 
such  a  man  as  Dr.  Saphir  held  about  it,  I  wrote  a  letter  to 
him,  and  asked  him  kindly  to  tell  me.  This  he  did.  That 
letter  is  to  me  a  real  '  love-letter.'  .  .  .  One  thought  seems  to 
make  even  heaven  more  attractive,  if  I  may  reverently  so  speak  : 
that  is,  to  be  able  to  see  and  converse  up  there  with  men 
like  Dr.  Saphir,  so  Christ-like,  so  devoted  and  saintly,  and  so 
humble  and  kind  and  good," 

In  a  second  letter,  enclosing  Dr.  Saphir's,  he  says  : 

"  I  often  take,  to  me,  his  dear  letter  to  look  upon  ;  I  love  to 
see  the  words  penned  by  the  dear  man  again  and  again,  and 
often  when  out  in  foreign  countries,  exposed  to  all  kinds  of 
tempations,  have  I  received  strength  and  encouragement,  by 
recalling  to  mind  such  men,  and  trying  to  have  a  kind  of, 
spiritual  companionship  with  them." 

The  following  is  Dr.  Saphir's  letter  to  Captain 
Hover  : — 

''  Ilkley,    Yorl-sUrr,  Jnhi  17,   1S90. 
"  Dear  Captain  Hoyer, 

'«  Many  thanks  for  your    kind   and    most   interesting 


SAPHIIi'S  LETTER    TO    CAPTAIN  IIOYE/?.     291 

letter.  I  should  have  replied  sooner,  but  my  health  has 
been  very  bad,  the  last  month.  I  was  obliged  to  give  up  all 
preaching,  reading,  Szc,  about  a  month  ago,  and  the  doctor 
ordered  me  complete  rest  for  three  months.  It  is  a  very 
severe  trial,  but  the  Lord  has  sent  it  for  some  loving  and 
wise  purpose. 

"  It  was  like  a  gleam  of  sunshine  to  me  to  hear  of  the 
Lord's  having  made  use  of  any  of  my  writings,  and  it  was 
kind  of  you  to  write  me  this  encouraging  fact. 

"  You  will  forgive  my  not  entering  fully  on  your  question, 
as  my  head  is  not  at  all  strong.  I  know  little  about  the 
Norwegian  Church.  Besides  some  sermons,  translated  by 
Gleiss,  and  what  my  friend  Mr.  Horjohann  of  Christiana 
has  told  me,  I  know  nothing.  I  have  read  some  of  Heuch's, 
and  many  of  Kierkeguard's  books.  I  was  greatly  interested 
to  hear  of  the  Free  Church.  The  question  of  Baptism  is  very 
difficult,  and  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  of  your  troubles.  The 
unity  of  the  Body  is  most  important  and  precious  ;  and  every- 
thing must  be  done  to  preserve  its  outward  manifestation,  but, 
of  course,  faithfulness  to  truth  entrusted  to  us  in  God's 
Word  is  the  first  duty. 

"  I  do  not  hold  the  doctrine  of  Baptismal  Regeneration  ;  on 
the  contrary,  I  regard  it  as  unscriptural  and  injurious  in  its 
tendency.  But  I  cannot  forget  that  many  of  the  ministers 
and  other  Christians  who  hold  it,  are  truly  converted,  and 
fully  hold  the  precious  doctrines  of  justification  and  the  work 
of  the  Spirit.  Some  of  our  Reformed  theologians  have  used 
the  expression  '  regeneration '  in  connection  with  baptism, 
among  them  Calvin,  and  their  statement  as  to  the  import  and 
benefit  of  Baptism  is  very  strong,  in  emphasizing  that  it  is 
more  than  an  emblem  or  sign.  Sometimes  regeneration  means 
with  them  only  the  being  placed  by  God  in  a  new  position, 
and  brought  into  the  outward  House,  in  which  the  blessings 
of  the  New  Covenant  are  received.  But  I  know  the  Lutheran 
idea  of  Baptismal  Regeneration  goes  beyond  this. 

"  I  have  often  thought  that  the  question  of  Baptism  should 
he  first  considered,  as  in  the  case  of  conscious  believers,  and  not 
of  infants.  The  New  Testament  passages  referring  to  Baptism 
seem    simple    enough,    when    we    apply    them   to   Jews    and 


292     SAPHIirS   LETTER    TO    CAPTAIN   HOYER 

heathen,  who  by  the  power  of  God  received  Jesus,  and  were 
admitted  into  the  Church;  with  them  Baptism  was  the  consum- 
mating and  culmiijating  point  of  transition  from  the  old 
condition  to  the  new,  and  to  such  it  coukl  be  said,  '  As  many 
as  are  baptized,  have  init  on  Christ'  But  to  apply  the  New 
Testament  passages  to  Infant  Baptism  in  their  full  meaning 
seems  to  me  an  error,  and  it  converts  Baptism  into  a  kind 
of  physical  or  magical  art,  necessarily  connected  with  the  gift 
and  work  of  the  Spirit.  On  the  other  hand,  to  explain 
Baptism,  starting  with  Infant  Baptism,  has  the  tendency  of 
lowering  Baptism  into  a  mere  ceremony  or  emblem,  or  to  lay 
an  exclusive  stress  on  the  subjective  aspect  of  the  parents' 
act  of  dedication,  and  to  leave  out  (as  I  think  the  Baptists 
do)  the  much  more  primary  and  important  objective  aspect 
of  Baptism,  something  that  God  gives  and  does,  the  seal  of 
the  righteousness  by  faith,  the  seal  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace, 
which  ever  after  is  a  confirmation  and  consolation  to  the 
believer.  In  our  Church  we  baptize  only  the  children  of 
believers,  and  rest  on  the  promise  given  to  parents  for  their 
children  (Acts  xvi.),  * — Thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy  house  '  ; 
principle  all  the  same,  whether  infants  or  intelligent 
children.  We  also  assert  that  the  benefit  of  Baptism  is  not 
confined  to  the  actual  time  of  administration.  I  have  had  no 
scruple  about  Infant  Baptism  ;  but  difiiculty  to  steer  clear 
of  a  merely  ceremonial  symbol,  and  of  a  '  dedication  '  (but 
there  is  no  dedication  of  a  sinful  being  apart  from  the  Atone- 
Tiient  and  the  Covenant  of  Grace)  and  baptismal  regeneration 
on  the  other  hand. 

"  I  have  not  written  anything  on  the  subject,  which  I  think 
very  difiicult  and  complicated.  I  like  a  little  book  by  the 
Rev.  W.  Grant  of  Ayr  ;  and  1  believe  Candlish  on  the  Sacra- 
ments is  good,  but  I  don't  know  it.  Also  a  tract  by 
W.  P.  Mackay  (Nisbet  &  Co.), — 'Baptism  admission  to  the 
House,  not  the  Body  of  Christ.'  I  think  in  John  iii.  water 
refers  to  John's  baptism ;  because  at  the  time  Nicodemus 
could  scarcely  avoid  understanding  it  thus.  Lutherans  do  not 
consider  sufficiently  the  equally  (if  not  more)  important  and 
emphatic  words,  amd  the  Spirit.  '  Bath  of  regeneration ' 
(Titus)  is  intelligible  in  the  case  of  believers,  who  as  such,  by 


ON  BAPTISMAL  REGENERATION.  293 


baptism,  were  placed  in  the  congregation  of  new-born  children 
of  God.  The  passage  in  Peter  lays  also  stress  on  the  faitJi 
and  inward  experience  of  the  recipient. 

*'  I  suppose  you  know  Beck  of  TUbingen  on  the  Sacra- 
ments. He  is  very  candid  in  his  remarks  on  Infant  Baptism, 
and  altogether  worth  consulting. 

"  The  latest  Calvinistic  dogmatic  book  by  Bohl  (a  follower 
of  Kohlbriigge),^  almost  justifies  the  word  regeneration  as 
applied  to  baptism.  Kohlbriigge,  whom  I  regard  very  highly, 
has  written  on  the  subject,  and  his  view  and  also  that  ex- 
pressed by  his  disciple,  Wichelhaus  of  Halle,  in  a  pamphlet 
Die  Taufe^  of  which  Hengstenberg  fully  approved,  ought  to 
satisfy  the  EvaDgelical  Lutherans,  as  it  secures  the  objective 
character  and  preciousness  of  the  Sacrament.  But  I  fear  it 
won't. 

"  I  once  spent  a  fortnight  in  the  house  of  the  late  Pastor 
Harms  of  Hermansburg.  I  can  never  forget  the  dear  man, 
so  full  of  the  Spirit.  But  he  was  very  strong  on  baptismal 
regeneration.  I  trust  the  Lord  will  watch  over  your  church, 
and  prevent  any  division.  He  alone  can  help  you  in  this 
difficulty  by  an  abundant  supply  of  grace,  that  light  and  love 
may  go  together  and  that  the  work  of  the  gospel  be  not 
hindered. 

"  Excuse  this  unstudied  letter  on  so  momentous  a  subject, 
but  my  health  makes  anything  else  impossible,  and  you  will 
kindly  look  upon  this  as  a  merely  extempore  expression  of  my 
thoughts. 

"  May  the  Lord  bless  and  guide  you !  AYe  have  many 
difficulties  at  present  in  our  churches,  and  the  Lord's  servants 
and  witnesses  need  much  grace  and  strength. 

"  With    Christian    regards    and    earnestly    requesting    an 
iuterest  in  your  intercessions, 
*'Iam, 

*'  Yours,  very  faithfully, 

''A*!  Saphir." 

1  Rechtfertigimg  an  den  glauhen :  Amsterdam  and  Leipzig. 


294 


CHAPTEK  XXIV. 

DEVOTION  TO    THE    JEWS    AND   JEWISH    MISSION. 

Love  to  Israel  of  Moses  and  of  Paul — Pauline  Doctrine  of 
Israel's  unchanging  Position — What  was  Israel's  Glory? 
— Israel's  Present  Condition — Prophecies  fulfilled,  and 
Prophecies  to  be  fulfilled — The  Future  of  Israel  bright  and 
glorious — Israel's  Claim  upon  the  Gentile  Churches — The 
Everlasting  Nation — What  will  be  accomplished  through 
Israel — The  Pabinowich  and  Lichtenstein  Movements — 
Pev.  C.  A.  Hchunberger — Delitzsch's  early  Interest  in  the 
Jews — His  Revival  of  Jewish  Missions  in  Germany — Mr. 
Schonberger's  Visits  to  Lichtenstein  and  Rabinowich — The 
Establishment  of  the  Pabinowich  Council,  with  Saphir  as 
President — His  Great  Interest  in  the  Work — Jubilee  of 
the  Scottish  Jewish  Mission — Address  at  Mildmay  Jewish 
Conference. 

THOSE  ticquaiiited  with  Saphir's  works  know  the 
phice  which  his  own  nation,  Israel,  had  in  his 
lieart,  and  the  most  important  destiny  which,  from 
the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  he  considered  to  be 
still  before  it.  He  was  intensely  interested  in  tlie 
Jewish  mission,  and  he  lost  no  opportunity  in 
seeking  to  advance  its  claims.  On  the  days  of  the 
Jewish  annual  collection^  he  always  pleaded  the 
cause    with   earnestness    and    power, — and    every 

'    ^  An  annual  collection  is  taken  for  Jewish  missions  in  the 
English  Presbyterian  Church,  on  the  third  Sunday  in  January. 


LOVE  TO  ISRAEL   01^  MOSES  AND  OE  PAUL.    295 


spiritual  work  cUiiong  the  Jews  lie  watched  with 
interest.  He  was  especially  interested  in  the 
movements  of  Rabinowich  and  of  Liclitenstein, 
which  point  to  a  national  Jewish  Church,  accept- 
ino'  Christ  as  the  Messiah  of  the  nation.  He 
took  a  most  active  part  in  getting  help  for  Rabin- 
owich, being  the  moving  spirit  of  the  Committee 
formed  for  the  purpose  ;  and  had  much  correspond- 
ence with  his  esteemed  and  always  devoted  friend, 
Professor  Delitzsch,  on  the  subject.  Delitzsch 
moved  in  Germany,  and  Saphir  in  England.  De- 
litzsch and  Faber,  in  a  preface  to  a  new  edition  of 
his  tract,  '  Wer  ist  der  Apostat?^  speak  of  the  great 
assistance  given  to  them  in  their  work  for  Israel  by 
Saphir,  for  many  years. 

We  begin  our  notice  of  this  devotion  to  Israel, 
by  quoting  from  a  sermon  preached  in  1878  : — 

"  Pre-eminent  among  the  saints  of  God,  of  whom 
we  read  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  are  Moses,  the 
servant  of  Jehovah,  who  was  faithful  in  all  God's 
house  ;  and  Paul,  the  Apostle  and  the  Gentile,  who 
was  able  to  say,  '  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  even  as  I 
am  of  Christ.'  When  we  think  of  these  two  chosen 
vessels  of  God,  of  their  wisdom,  their  meekness, 
their  self-sacrifice,  their  zeal  for  God's  glory,  their 
unwearied  and  ardent  love,  their  sufferings,  their 
patience  ;  when  we  recall  their  tears,  their  words, 
their  labours,  their  prayers,  we  feel  so  amazed  at 
the  grandeur  of  their  characters  and  lives,  that  we 
are  lifted  above  the  lower  sentiments  of  admiration, 
and  above  the  common  expressions  of  eulogy,  and 


!96  THE  LOVE   TO  ISRAEL 


we  can  only  glorify  God  in  them.  As  when  we 
stand  before  a  majestic  Alpine  height,  or  gaze  on  a 
bright  and  beautiful  star,  we  say,  'How  great  is 
God's  power,  how  beautiful  are  His  works,  how 
wonderful  is  His  glory  ! ' 

''  Moses  and  Paul  show  that  love  of  God  and 
love  to  man  are  one  ;  that  he  who  stands  highest 
on  the  Mount  of  God,  and  sees  most  of  the  glory 
of  God,  has  the  deepest  compassion,  the  most  burn- 
ing love,  the  tenderest  sympathy  towards  his 
brethren.  Moses  in  his  anguish  said,  '  Blot  me  out 
of  Thy  book.'  He  could  not  bear  the  thought  of 
Israel's  rejection.  Paul,  in  the  intensity  of  his 
affection  and  sorrow,  could  offer  the  same  petition. 
We  are  not  able  to  measure  such  depth  of  love 
man  ward,  because  w^e  cannot  understand  the  height 
of  this  love  God  ward.     We  listen  in  silence. 

"  Love  to  Israel,  such  as  Moses  and  Paul  felt,  is 
a  ray  from  that  ineffable  stream  of  light  which  is  in 
God.  The  Apostle,  when  he  speaks  of  his  great 
grief  on  account  of  Israel's  unbelief,  is  conscious 
that  this  feeling  is  not  merely  one  of  natural 
patriotism  and  affection,  but  of  the  Spirit,  by 
virtue  of  his  union  with  Christ.  '  I  say  the 
truth  in  Christ,  my  conscience  also  bearing  me 
witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost.'  He  who  referred  all 
feelings  of  true  and  tender  love  to  the  indwelling 
of  God's  Spirit,  who  longed  after  the  Philippiaus  in 
the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  clearly  conscious  that 
His  love  to  Israel  is  Christ-sprung,  God-given, 
Spirit- breathed ;  it  is  the  Saviour's  mind  and  affec- 


OF  MOSES   AXD    OF   PAUL.  2^: 


tion  living  in  his  heart.     Behold  with  the  eyes  of 
Paul,  Jesus  Christ  still  weeping  over  Jerusalem. 

"  Much,"  he  continued,  "  as  Paul  loved  the  Gen- 
tiles, he  never  forgot  his  people ;  he  continually 
mourned  over  the  unbelief  and  bondage  of  the 
chosen  people  of  God ;  and  he  continued  steadfast 
in  the  sure  hope  that  all  Israel  should  be  saved, 
and  that  the  promises  given  to  the  fathers  would 
be  fulfilled,  for  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are 
without  repentance.  .  .  .  Slowly  is  the  Church 
returning  to  the  Pauline  doctrine  of  Israel's  un- 
changing position  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
of  Israel's  future  conversion  and  restoration. 
Their  sins,  though  red  as  scarlet,  culminating  in 
the  crucifixion  of  the  Holy  One.  shall  yet  be  for- 
o-iveu,  and  the  love  of  God  shall  visit  them  with 
everlasting  redemption.  .  .  .  Out  of  the  fallen  race  of 
Adam  He  chose  Israel  to  be  His  son.  His  first-born. 
'  Ye  are  the  children  of  the  Lord  your  God,'  said 
Moses.  '  Out  of  Egypt  has  He  called  my  son,' 
said  Hosea.  He  adopted  them  by  grace  to  be  His 
family,  beloved  and  cared  for  and  watched  over  by 
Jehovah,  as  their  Father.  Theirs  also  was  the  glory, 
not  in  the  sense  that  they  had  anything  wherein 
to  glory.  The  nations  of  this  world  speak  much 
and  proudly  of  their  glory ;  Free  England,  Beautiful 
France,  the  Great  Fatherland, — all  nations  have  a 
glory,  of  which  they  boast.  Not  so  Israel,  for  God 
often  reminded  them  that  they  were  chosen  accord- 
ing to  grace,  not  by  reason  of  any  excellence  and 
merit   they   possessed.     What  was  Israel's  glory  ? 


298  ISRAEL'S  ACTUAL    CONDITION. 

It  was  God's  glory  which  belonged  to  them.  The 
manifestation  of  God  was  given  to  them.  While 
the  nations  were  in  darkness,  the  bright  light  of 
God's  favour  visited  Israel.  Theirs  are  the  cove- 
nants. To  them  pertains  the  giving  of  the  law. 
To  them  pertains  the  service.  To  them  pertain  the 
promises.  Theirs  are  the  fathers.  Of  them,  as 
concerning  the  flesh,  came  Christ,  the  Lord. 

''  How  great  and  how   painful   is   the    contrast 
when  we  look  from  the  high  position  and  blessings 
God  gave  to  Israel,  to  their  actual  condition  of  un- 
belief and  darkness  !     For  as  Jesus  is  the  centre  of 
Israel,  their  life,  light,  and   glory,  death  has  been 
the  consequence  of  their  rejection  of  Jehovah,  mani- 
fest.    Therefore  are  they  compared  to  dead  bones, 
very  many  and  very  dry.     They  are  dead,  because 
Jehovah,  God  manifest,  is  the  Life,  the  Spirit  of 
the  nation,  and  in  rejecting  Jesus  they  have  for- 
saken the  fountain  of  their  life,  the  strength  and 
substance  of  their  existence.     Behold  their  house  is 
left  unto  them   desolate !     What   is    their  house  ? 
Jerusalem  and  the  pleasant  land.     It   is  trodden 
underfoot   of  the  Gentiles.     What  is  their  house, 
their   dwelling-place  ?      The    Scriptures  ?      Behold 
they  read  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  wearily,  blindly  ; 
they  wander  to  and  fro  in  the  sacred  record,  but 
the  veil  is  on  their  hearts,  and  as  they  do  not  dis- 
cern Messiah  of  whom  the  Scriptures  testify,  they 
find  no  light  and  peace  there.     Their  house  is  left 
unto  them  desolate.     What  is  their  house  ?     Their 
beautiful  Sabbaths,  and  festivals,  the  lovely  Passover 


THE  FUTURE   OF  ISRAEL.  299 

Pentecost,  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  their  solemn  Day 
of  Atonement !  Alas  !  where  is  the  Lamb  which 
God  has  chosen,  the  blood  of  sprinkling  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  the  high  priest  to  enter  into  the 
Holy  of  Holies  ?  They  dwell  in  a  desolate  house, 
and  cannot  find  rest  for  their  souls,  and  cannot  see 
the  beauty  of  the  Lord.  Their  house  is  left  deso- 
late ;  Jerusalem  is  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles  ; 
the  Scripture  and  the  services  are  to  them  empty 
and  void,  without  power  and  without  peace. 
Ichahod,  the  glory  has  departed ;  Israel's  glory,  the 
Shechinah  ;  for  the  glory  of  God  is  beheld  only  in 
the  fiice  of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ.  .    .  . 

''  Israel,  scattered  among  the  nations,  is  a  witness 
for  God.  They  are  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy,  the 
monuments  of  God's  faithfulness  and  truth.  No 
greater  evidence  for  the  truth  of  Scripture  can 
be  given  than  the  existence  and  history  of  the 
Jews.  Frederick  the  Great  said  one  day,  before  a 
large  company  of  sceptics  and  unbelievers,  to  his 
general,  Ziethen,  whose  courage  and  loyalty  were 
as  well  known  as  his  simple  faith  and  piety :  *  Give 
us  a  good  argument  to  prove  Christianity,  but 
something;  short  and  convincino'.'  '  The  Jews,  your 
Majesty,'  replied  the  veteran,  and  the  company  was 
silent. 

"The  future  of  Israel  is  bright  and  glorious,  and 
bound  up  with  the  manifestation  of  Christ  the 
Lord.  Hence  it  has  a  special  place  in  the  Chris- 
tian heart.  We  cannot  regard  the  Jewish  mission 
as  one  among  many  missions.     The  nation  has  a 


300  ISRAELS    CLAIM    UPON   GENTILES. 


position,  central  and  unique,  according  to  the 
Divine  purpose.  We  cannot  measure  the  import- 
ance of  the  Jewish  mission  by  the  numerical  great- 
ness either  of  the  nation  or  of  converts  ;  we  measure 
it  by  the  value  assigned  to  them  in  the  Scriptures ; 
by  the  decisive  love  with  which  God  regards  them ; 
and  by  the  special  influences  which  tliey  are  to 
exert  upon  the  whole  world.  .  .  .  God's  promise 
teaches  us,  that  through  the  restoration  of  Israel 
the  golden  era  of  the  world  will  be  ushered  in.  .  .  . 
"  When  you  think  of  the  Q;race  that  has  brouoht 
salvation  to  you,  remember  Israel,  the  nation  of 
grace.  When  you  think  of  the  sweet  sound  of  the 
name  Jesus,  remember  it  is  a  Hebrew  name — 
Jehoshua,  Saviour.  When  you  think  of  departed 
saints  and  the  heavenly  city,  remember  that  it  is 
Jerusalem,  in  which  as  an  emblem  God  hath  shown 
you  the  eternal  home.  When  after  your  petitions 
you  utter  the  word  so  full  of  consolation  and  hope, 
— Amen,  remember  it  is  Israel  who  hath  taught  you 
the  God  Amen,  who  is  the  Hearer  of  prayer.  And 
when,  overwhelmed  with  joy  and  praise,  you  abound 
with  thanksgiving  to  the  God  who  hath  done  great 
marvels,  and  say  Hallelujah,  remember  that  Israel 
was  the  first,  and  shall  again  be  the  foremost,  in 
the  o^reat  chorus  of  nations.  .  .  .  Israel's  con- 
version  will  be  a  marvel  of  omnipotent  love. 
When  Ezekiel  beheld  the  valley  full  of  dry  bones, 
and  was  asked,  '  Son  of  man,  can  these  bones 
live  ? '  he  felt  that  with  man  it  was  impossible, 
and  in  humility  of  faith  he  replied,  '  Thou,  Lord, 


'THE  EVERLASTING   NATION:  301 

knowest.'  Yes,  in  their  graves  they  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  God.  He  who  can  raise  the  dead  and  call 
them  out  of  their  graves,  shall  send  forth  His 
Spirit  and  breathe  upon  the  dry  bones,  and  they 
shall  live,  and  stand  up  an  exceeding  great  army. 
"  Let  us  give  then  our  aid  to  the  Jewish  mission, 
in  faith,  in  love,  in  hope,  and  let  us  seek  to  enter 
into  the  mind  of  God,  and  to  look  forward  to  that 
great  promise  which  all  the  fathers  embraced,  and 
held  fast  even  unto  the  end.  May  there  be  given 
unto  us  also,  out  of  that  wonderful  and  infinite 
ocean  of  Divine  love  to  Israel,  a  little  love  to  God's 
ancient  people.     Amen." 

In  a  sermon  preached  at  Belgravia  on  January 
18,  1885,  and  published  under  the  title,  'The 
Everlasting  Nation,'  he  says  : — 

"Jesus  came  to  the  whole  nation;  Israel  as  a 
nation  rejected  him.  Jesus,  as  we  read  in  the 
Gospel  of  Matthew,  w^as  taking  leave  of  the  whole 
nation.  He  spoke  to  the  Pharisees;  He  spoke  to  the 
Herodians ;  He  spoke  to  the  Sadducees  ;  and  after 
having  given,  as  it  were,  the  last  word  unto  each 
representative  part  of  the  Jewish  nation.  He  sums 
up  all  in  that  heart-rending  farewell : — '  Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest 
them  that  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I 
have  gathered  thy  children  ' — the  whole  nation  as 
a  nation — *  under  My  wings,  and  ye  would  not ! 
Behold,  your  house  shall  be  left  unto  you  desolate.' 
But   the  farewell  is  not  for  ever.     It  is  a  farewell 


302  ISRAEL   TO   BE  SAVED   FINALLY. 

only  for  a  given  and  definite  period.  '  Ye  shall 
not  see  Me,  till  ye  shall  say,  Blessed  is  He  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ! '  The  Saviour, 
ere  He  was  crucified  upon  Golgotha,  had  in  His 
own  loving  and  sorrowing  heart  the  living  and 
assured  hope  that  the  same  nation,  which  as  a 
nation  had  rejected  Him,  would  again  as  a  nation 
welcome  Him  as  the  Messiah  that  cometh  in  the 
Name  of  the  Lord.  And  after  He  had  died  upon 
the  cross,  and  appeared  again  to  His  disciples, 
before  He  ascended  up  into  heaven,  He  ratified  to 
the  apostles  the  promise  that  was  given  of  old, 
that  He  would  come  and  restore  the  kiugdom  to 
Israel ;  only  not  at  the  present  time,  because  the 
dispensation  of  the  Church  had  to  intervene. 
Thus  it  is  in  harmony  with  the  testimony  of  Jesus, 
which  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  that  the  Apostle 
Paul  declares  that  all  Israel  shall  be  saved. 

''But  as  all  Israel  shall  be  saved  finally,  in  the 
meantime  God  has  not  totally  rejected  His  people. 
This  the  Apostle  proves  in  the  simplest  and  most 
obvious  manner.  If  God  had  totally  rejected  His 
people,  the  prayer  of  Jesus  on  the  cross,  '  Father, 
forgive  them;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do,' 
would  not  have  been  answered.  The  prayer  of 
Stephen  before  his  death,  *  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin 
to  their  charge,'  wouLl  have  remained  without  a 
divine  response.  Paul  himself  is  the  most  striking 
illustration  that  God  had  not  totally  rejected  His 
people  ;  for  God  had  mercy  on  him,  and  revealed 
unto  him  His  Son.     We  read  of  3000  at  Jerusalem, 


ISRAEL'S  FUTURE  RESTORATION.  30S 


and  afterwards  5000,  and  afterwards  many  myriads 
or  ten  thousands  of  Jews  who  had  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  Christ.  And  during  the  first  centuries 
the  number  and  importance  of  Jewish  Christian 
eonoreoations,  who  to  a  certain  extent  still  ob- 
served  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  whom  there 
lived  the  vivid  consciousness  of  their  connection 
with  the  Old  Testament  history,  were  considerable. 
Finally,  all  Israel  shall  be  saved,  and  during  the 
intermediate  period  of  the  Church  God  has  not 
totally  rejected  His  people." 

"Two  points  are  thus  given  to  us  in  the  Apostolic 
teaching — Israel's  rejection  of  the  Messiah,  and 
Israel's  future  restoration.  In  the  destruction  of 
eTerusalem  and  the  temple,  and  in  the  dispersion  of 
Israel  among  the  nations,  was  manifested  in  actual 
history  what  to  the  eye  of  faith  appeared  already 
at  the  crucifixion  of  our  Lord,  when  the  veil  of  the 
temple  was  rent  in  twain.  The  arch  of  Titus,  still 
to  be  seen  at  Eome,  declares  to  the  whole  world 
what  believers  knew  from  the  written  Word — that 
divine  judgment  has  fallen  upon  the  nation  on 
account  of  their  unbelief.  If  we  ask  what,  con- 
nection subsists  between  unbelieving  Israel  of  the 
past  and  restored  Israel  of  the  future,  between 
Jerusalem  given  into  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles  and 
Jerusalem  restored,  there  are  three  facts  which  ac- 
cording to  the  divine  Word  bridge  over  the  interval. 
In  the  first  place,  according  to  the  Word  of  God, 
it  is  obviously  necessary  that  the  Jewish  nation 
should  remain  in  existence  as  a  nation  until  these 


304  ISRAEL'S   PROSPECTS. 

latter  days.  Their  enemies  must  not  succeed  in 
destroying  them  ;  their  friends  must  not  succeed  in 
so  favourino:  them  that  they  amalojamate  through 

O  JO  o 

indifference  and  worldliness  \Yith  the  other  nation- 
alities. And  also  it  is  necessary  that  they  should 
not  be  absorbed  by  the  Christian  Churches,  so  as 
to  cease  to  exist  as  a  separate  community.  How 
marvellously  has  all  this  been  fulfilled  every  one 
can  see,  in  the  countries  of  Europe  and  of  the  Avhole 
world,  where  God  has  scattered  His  people.   .  .   ." 

"As  at  the  first  advent,  through  the  rejection 
of  Jesus  the  gospel  came  to  the  Gentiles,  so  at  the 
second  advent  of  Jesus  He  will  be  received  by 
Israel  when  He  brings  judgment  upon  apostate 
Christendom.  .  .  .  Through  the  Church  indi- 
viduals are  gathered  out  from  among  all  the 
nations  to  believe  in  Jesus  ;  but  it  is  through  the 
nation  of  Israel  that  national  Christianity  will  l)e 
established  upon  the  whole  face  of  the  earth." 

THE    RABINOWICH    AND    LICHTENSTEIN    MOVEMENTS. 

We  would  here,  as  bearino-  on  the  Rabinowich 
movement  in  which  Saphir  was  so  much  inter- 
ested, give  a  sketch  of  the  manner  in  which  that 
interest  was  excited  simultaneously,  in  Saphir  and 
Delitzsch  : — 

In  1871  Johanna  Saphir,  the  youngest  sister  of 
Adolph,  was  married  to  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Schonberger, 
a  Jewish  missionary,  first  of  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland,  and  afterwards  of  tlie  British  Society  for 
the  Propagation   of  the    Gospel  among  the  Jews. 


MB.    SCUONBERGER.  305 


Mr.  Schonberger  had,  when  a  young  man,  been 
converted  under  the  influence  of  old  Mr.  Saphir  in 
Pesth,  with  whom  he  remained  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  He  then  went  to  the  Mission  House  at 
Bale  for  a  year,  and  afterwards  to  London,  wdiere 
he  attended  classes  in  the  English  Presbyterian 
College,  for  a  session.  He  next  went  to  Germany, 
and  completed  there  his  theological  studies,  under 
the  direction  of  the  w^ell-known  Professor  Delitzsch, 
w^ho  took  an  intense  interest  in  the  Jews  and  in 
Jewish  missions. 

Delitzsch,  when  a  ]r)rivat-docent  in  Leipzig,  had 
been  brought  into  contact  with  Jewish  missionaries 
of  the  London  Society,  and  from  that  time  had 
been  convinced  of  the  importance  of  w^ork  among 
the  Jews.  He  himself  also  had  received  special 
kindness  from  a  Jew,  w^ho  helped  him  in  his  edu- 
cation. We  may  note  that  in  later  years  this  Jew 
became  a  convert  to  Christianity,  under  Delitzsch's 
influence.  There  had  been  a  Jewish  mission  in 
Germany  in  the  latter  part  of  last  century,  but  it 
had  been  extinguished  by  the  progress  of  rational- 
ism in  the  German  Churches.  Delitzsch  used 
strong  efi*ort,  and  with  much  success,  to  revive  the 
interest  in  the  Jewish  work.  He  trained  many 
students  for  it,  and  exerted  himself  in  every  way 
to  promote  it.  Chief  among  his  eff'orts  was  the 
translation  into  Hebrew  of  the  New  Testament,  in 
w^hich  he  took  a  leading  part.  He  prepared  also 
commentaries  for  the  Jews,  and  wrote  many  tracts 
and   also  pamphlets   in   connection  with  the  anti- 


306  DELITZSCH  AND   SCHONBERGER. 

Semitic  movement,  in  which  he  exposed  the  false 
statements  circulated  against  the  Jews ;  and  he 
founded  anew  the  Institutum  Judaicum,  which 
has  branches  in  many  of  the  German  universities. 
Delitzsch  had  a  great  admiration  for  Saphir,  and 
was  latterly  in  frequent  communication  with  him, 
in  regard  to  the  Eabinowich  and  Lichtenstein 
movements,  in  which  both  were  deeply  interested. 

Delitzsch  had  taken  a  special  interest  in  Schon- 
berger  when  a  student,  frequently  visiting  him  in 
his  lodgings.  He  afterwards,  to  the  end  of  his 
life,  corresponded  with  him  on  the  Jewish  work. 
Schonberger  finished  his  studies  in  1868,  and  went 
for  a  year  or  two  to  Pesth  to  assist  Mr.  Koenig 
and  Mr.  Moody.  When  married  he  was  settled  in 
Prague,  where  he  remained  till  1884  in  connection 
with  the  British  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel  among  the  Jews.  Old  Mrs.  Saphir  lived 
there  with  her  daughter  till  her  death  in  1879. 

Mr.  Schonberger  has  been  one  of  the  most 
eminent  and  successful  of  Jewish  missionaries. 
He  was  in  Prague  for  thirteen  years  till  1884. 
He  had  much  influence  over  Jews — especially  of 
the  intelligent  classes.  Among^  his  converts  there 
was  one  who  became  a  very  effective  minister,  tlie 
Eev.  A.  Venetianer,  Pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  Rohrbach,  South  Russia,  also  two  medical 
men,  two  merchants,  and  two  teachers.  In  1884 
he  went  to  Vienna  as  a  missionary  of  the  same 
Society,  where  he  laboured  till  1890,  during  which 
period   seventy   converts    were   baptized   by  him. 


RABINOWICH'S  INFLUENCE.  3^07 

In    Vienna    he    preached    often    to    the    German 
Protestant  congregations  with  great  acceptance. 

He  made  extensive  mission  tours  through  Galicia 
and  other  provinces.  He  visited  Rabbi  Lichten- 
stein  in  Tapio-Szele,  Hungary,  who,  from  the 
perusal  of  tracts  of  Delitzsch,  had  become  convinced 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and  w^ho  was  declaring 
his  faith  in  Him,  while  still  Chief  Rabbi,  both  in 
sermons  and  writings.  Many  of  the  Jews  were 
convinced  by  his  statements,  while  others  became 
hostile.  It  was  a  new  thing  in  the  history  of 
Judaism  for  a  Jewish  Rabbi  to  preach  in  the 
synagogue  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  Mr.  Schon- 
berger  visited  also  Rabinowich  at  Kischinefi'  in 
Bessarabia,  and  did  much  to  stimulate  him  in  his 
work  there.  His  first  visit  took  place  in  1885, 
when  he  felt  greatly  delighted  and  encouraged  by 
his  intercourse  with  him.  His  report  was  the 
means  of  making  the  movement  better  known. 
Two  years  later  he  visited  him  again  by  request  of 
the  Rabinowich  Council,  which  had  then  been 
formed  in  London,  under  the  presidency  of  Dr. 
Saphir.  In  this  visit  he  was  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Venetianer.  They  found  that  the  attendance  at 
his  services  was  as  large  as  ever,  and  that  Rabin- 
owich's  influence  had  become  far-reachino; — '"'  Jews 
from  all  parts  of  the  vast  Empire  of  Russia  reading 
his  pamphlets,  discussing  his  position  and  testi- 
mony, and  corresponding  with  him,  or  visiting 
him  personally,  to  hear  more  fully  the  divine 
message   he   proclaims."     The   Jews  in  Kischineft* 


308  SAPHIK;6   DEEP  INTEREST  IN 

had  now  accepted  the  fact  that  there  was  in  the 
midst  of  them  a  Jewish  synagogue,  in  which  one 
of  their  bretliren,  of  unblemished  character  and 
eminent  gifts,  proclaimed  every  Sabbath  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah  promised  to  their  fathers,  and  tlie 
Saviour  of  the  w^orld. 

Mr.  Venetianer's  visit  to  Kischineff  resulted  in 
the  solution  of  one  difficulty,  the  solving  of  which 
was  urgent.  Being  the  pastor  of  an  evangelical 
church,  recognized  in  Russia,  he  was  able  to  baptize 
those  who  desired  baptism.  He  wrote  : — "  On 
October  2,  1887,  was  held  a  missionary  festival. 
Thousands  assembled,  and  I  baptized  the  first 
Kischineff  convert."  K  fortnight  later  he  baptized 
three  daughters  of  Eabinowich. 

Mr.  Leitner,  another  convert  of  Mr.  Schonberger, 
now  in  Constantinople,  visited  Kischineff  soon 
after,  and  gave  the  same  encouraging  view  of  the 
work. 

This  work  deeply  interested  Dr.  Saphir  and 
Professor  Delitzsch,  because  it  seemed  to  give 
promise  of  a  wide  national  movement  in  the  future. 
•'  It  must  be  viewed,"  said  Dr.  Saphir,  "  in  con- 
nection with  the  present  condition  of  the  Jewish 
nation,  and  the  light  of  the  prophetic  Word.  A 
crisis  is  evidently  approaching.  Tahnudism  and 
the  attempt  to  modernize  Judaism,  and  to  reduce 
it  to  rationalistic  Deism,  have  both  fjiiled,  and  have 
proved  themselves  to  be  without  vitality  ;  and  yet 
the  national  consciousness  has  been  roused  by  the 
recent  anti-Semitic  movement.    The  Jewish  mission 


THE   RABimnVICH   COUNCIL.  309 


has  been  abundantly  blessed,  to  a  greater  extent 
than  is  generally  believed,  not  merely  in  con- 
versions, but  in  spreading  the  knowledge  of 
Scriptural  and  vital  Christianity  among  the  Jews, 
and  circulating  the  New  Testament.  '  Is  Jesus 
the  Messiah  and  Lord  ? '  is  not  so  much  a  question 
between  the  Christinn  Church  and  the  Jews,  as  in 
the  first  instance  a  Jewish  question ;  but  appears 
therefore  as  an  indication — a  foreshadowing  of  a 
national  movement,  when  we  hear  of  Jews  (how- 
ever few  in  number)  who  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  their  dispersion  and  condition  during 
the  last  eighteen  centuries  is  the  consequence  of 
their  rejection  of  Jesus — that  Jesus  is  the  promised 
Messiah,  Son  of  David,  and  King  of  Israel  ;  that 
the  writings  of  evangelists  and  apostles  are  the 
continuation  of  the  Divine  record  entrusted  to  the 
Fathers." 

Delitzsch,  speaking  of  the  movement,  says, 
Eabinowich  seems  to  be  a  church  historical  phe- 
nomenon, which  revives  our  hope  of  Israel's  ulti- 
mate conversion  to  their  Messiah.  Though  not 
unacquainted  with  the  dogmatic  confession  of 
Christian  Churches,  his  type  of  teaching  is  Jewish- 
Christian,  and  his  whole  mode  of  viewing  and 
expressing  truth  is  original,  being  drawn  directly 
from  the  Apostolic  Word,  with  individual  freshness. 

The  Council  formed  in  London  to  aid  this 
work,  which  was  constituted  after  Mr.  Schonberger 
had  given  his  report  of  his  first  visit,  and  at  his 
suggestion    we    believe,    was,  under   Dr.    Saphir's 


310  THE  RABINOWICH  MOVEMENT. 

guidance,  enabled  to  help  the  work  very  materially. 
It  is  now  presided  over  by  Mr.  J.  E.  Mathieson. 
At  the  beginning,  in  a  few  days,  Saphir  raised  for 
it  £800.  There  was  no  work  dearer  to  his  heart. 
Let  us  hope  with  him  that  it  is  the  beginning  of  a 
great  movement  which  will  affect  Judaism  in  all 
parts  of  the  world.  Other  movements  of  a  similar 
kind  have  since  begun,  in  other  countries.  The 
general  attitude  of  the  Jews  to  Christ  is  different 
from  what  it  has  been  at  any  time  since  Christ 
appeared.  They  no  longer  despise  or  hate  Him, 
but  rather  glory  in  Him  as  a  Jew.  There  may 
thus  be  a  sudden  acceptance  on  the  part  of 
multitudes  of  Jews,  ere  long,  of  His  true  Messiah- 
ship. 

Of  the  Eabinowich  movement  Dr.  Saphir  says  in 
a  letter : — 

"The  movement  among  the  Jews  in  the  South  of  Russia 
has  entered  into  a  new  phase.  I  had  a  most  interesting  letter 
from  dear  Professor  Delitzsch.  He  says  he  is  quite  '  electriified  ' 
by  the  tidings.  The  Russian  Government  and  the  Holy  Synod 
have  sanctioned  the  movement,  and  allowed  the  Jews  to  form 
a  Community  called  '  Israelites  of  the  New  Testament.'  They 
are  to  have  their  own  synagogue,  with  the  Hebrew  Bible  (Old 
and  New  Testament  bound  together).  Last  Wednesday  I 
addressed  more  than  one  hundred  people  in  Mrs.  Wingate's 
drawing-room  on  the  subject." 

Dr.  Saphir  gives  in  a  letter  the  following  narrative 
of  Eabinowich — 

"  A  Jewish  advocate  in  the  South  of  Russia  wrote  some 
years  ago  in  Russian  Hebrew  periodicals  about  the  moral  and 
social  condition  of  the  Jews,  the  state  of  the  Rabbis,  &c.,  very 
high-toned.     Then  he  weut  to  Palestine,  at  the  time  of  the 


SAPHTR'S  NARRATIVE  OF  RABINOWIGH.     311 

Russian  persecution,  and  returned  with  this  result :  '  There 
is  no  hope  for  Israel  but  by  restoring  our  Brother  Jesus' 
H'S  creed  is  very  remarkable.  He  sees  that  the  dealings  of 
God  with  Israel  culminate  in  Jesus,  whom  he  regards  as  the 
Messiah,  King  David,  Angel  of  the  Covenant,  (fee.  ;  that  the 
New  Testament  is  of  Divine  authority  ;  that  righteousness  is  by 
faith  ;  that  Christ's  Death  and  Resurrection  are  the  foundation 
of  our  life ;  that  Israel  is  punished  for  its  rejection  of  Christ, 
and  the  Gentiles  brought  in  ;  and  that  there  will  be  a  national 
recognition  of  Christianity,  apart  from  the  creeds  and  organiz- 
ations of  the  Gentiles  ;  and  the  Sabbath  and  other  parts  of  the 
law  he  thinks  Jewish  Christians  ought  to  observe,  not  for 
justification,  but  as  national  ordinances.  Of  course  he  never 
dreams  of  Gentiles  doing  it,  and  if  Jewish  Christians  do  not 
observe  them,  he  does  not  judge  them.  He  has  gathered  a 
small  congregation,  and  they  are  building  a  synagogue,  and 
circulating  Hebrew  New  Testaments.  Pastor  Faltin,  in  Kisch- 
ineff  (an  old  saint),  was  in  former  years  wonderfully  blessed 
among  the  Jews.  The  Rabbi  of  the  town  was  converted 
through  him,  and  is  now  a  Christian  minister  in  North  Russia, 
F.  never  thought  of  the  Jew^s  till  a  Christian  woman  in  his 
church,  who  had  been  praying  for  the  Jews  for  eighteen  years 
before,  said  to  him  one  day,  *  Do  not  forget  the  thousands  of 
Jews  in  this  place.'  It  is  a  most  striking  illustration  of  the 
fact  that  all  movements  of  the  Church  originate  in  prayer, 
and  often  in  the  prayer  of  simple  Christians,  who  by  faith 
have  a  deeper  insight  into  God's  ways  than  the  more  learned. 
Delitzsch  is  greatly  excited,  dear  old  man  !  What  an  example 
he  is  of  humility  and  love.  All  the  Jewish  work  he  does  is  in 
addition  to  his  University  and  Church  duties  ;  he  is  Kirchen- 
rath.  But  it  is  impossible  to  see  the  position  of  the  Jews  in 
the  Bible  without  feeling  bound  to  the  missions  ;  and  how  any 
one  can  believe  the  Bible  as  a  true  history — and  not  in  the 
Jewish  position,  I  can't  conceive.  But  I  believe  this  is  part 
of  the  offence  of  the  cross.  .  .  .  Contrary  to  all  my  expecta- 
tions, my  Ganz  Israel  has  been  so  well  received  in  Germany 
that  a  very  large  edition  is  exhausted,  and  it  will  be  re-issued 
and  also  translated  into  Danish." 


312  SCOTTISH  MISSION  JUBILEE. 


On  May  24,  1889,  the  Jubilee  Year  of  the 
Scottish  Jewish  Mission,  there  was  a  special  meet- 
ing during  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland,  to  which  Dr.  Saphir  was 
earnestly  invited.  It  w\as  a  great  gathering,  at 
which  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wilson  of  the  Barclay  Church, 
Convener,  the  Kev.  Dr.  Robert  Smith  of  Corsock, 
missionary  at  Pestli  in  former  days,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Andrew  A.  Bonar,  and  one  or  tw^o  Jewish  mis- 
sionaries, gave  addresses.  Dr.  Saphir  thus  referred 
to  his  own  conversion  and  baptism  : — 

''It  is  forty-six  years  this  month  of  May  since,  in  common 
with  my  clear  father,  then  more  than  sixty  years  old,  and  my 
mother,  my  brother,  and  three  sisters,  I  was  baptized  into 
the  holy  name  of  our  covenant  God.  That  day  shines  forth 
in  my  memory  above  all  other  days  of  my  life — a  day  of 
intense  solemnity,  sweetest  peace,  and  most  childlike  assurance 
of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  bound  all  the 
members  of  my  family  in  a  new  and  clear  unity.  Thovigh  I 
am  only  eight  years  older  than  your  Mission,  I  have  the  most 
rivid  remembrance  of  its  earliest  beginnings.  I  remember 
seeing  that  venerable  and  loving  man  Dr.  Keith  when,  on  his 
return  from  Palestine,  he  visited  my  father,  and  the  strong 
impression  which  he  made  on  his  mind.  1  still  possess  the 
English  Bible  which  he  gave  to  him.  I  remember  the  first 
meeting  of  my  father  with  Dr.  Duncan.  It  was  in  a  book- 
seller's shop,  and,  by  a  strange  coincidence,  which  my  father 
pointed  out  to  me,  just  after  he  had  bought  a  work  containing 
the  fierce  attack  of  a  pantheist  on  Christianity.  I  remember 
the  first  Sunday  services  held  in  the  hotel  for  the  English 
residents  at  Pesth,  when  Dr.  Duncan  and  Mr.  Smith  and  Mr. 
Wingate  expounded  the  Scriptures.  The  subsequent  meetings, 
both  in  English  and  in  German,  are  distinctly  in  my  recollec- 
tion, so  simple  and  outwardly  unattractive,  but  so  full  of  light 
and  power,  bringing  the  message  of  the  love  of  God  to  eager 
listeners,     I  was  present  at  the  baptism  of  Alfred  Edersheim, 


SAPBIRS  SPEECH  AT  THE  JUBILEE.       313 

who  only  a  few  weeks  ago  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  after  having 
rendered  valuable  service  to  theological  literature,  which  will 
also  be  of  use  in  Jewish  work.  I  remember  the  baptism  of 
Tomory,  a  missionary  who  has  for  more  than  forty  years 
laboured  faithfully  among  Israel.  I  cannot  dwell  on  these 
memories,  or  attempt  to  describe  the  solemnity,  the  intense 
conviction  of  sin,  the  abundant  joy  in  redemption,  the  great 
love  and  brotherly  unity,  which  characterized  that  year  of 
revival  which  so  soon  followed  your  first  effort  to  send  the 
gospel  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  It  was  the 
love  of  Christ  that  constrained  you ;  but  you  would  have  had 
no  faith  and  courage  to  found  the  Jewish  Mission  had  it  not 
been  for  your  firm  belief  in  God's  word  of  promise,  and  for 
the  unwavering  and  simple  faith,  without  mental  reservation, 
in  the  Divine  authority  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  which 
characterized  your  Church.  Indeed,  no  mission  to  the  Jews 
can  have  any  vitality  and  permanence  unless  it  is  based  on  full 
and  simple  faith  in  the  whole  Word  of  God,  from  the  first 
chapter  of  Genesis  to  the  last  of  Kevelation :  in  the  Old 
Testament,  which  is  Jewish  and  yet  as  cosmopolitan  as  the 
Xew  ;  and  the  New,  wliich,  with  all  its  universality,  lays  as 
much  stress  as  the  Old  on  the  peculiar  and  never-changing 
position  of  Israel." 

Letters  were  read  from  Dr.  Moody  Stuart  and 
others,  among  them  one  from  Delitzsch,  very  happy 
in  its  closing  allusion  : — 

"  Smith,  Duncan,  and  Wingate  went  out  from  Scotland  to 
witness  to  the  Jews  that  the  Crucified  was  truly  their  King, 
the  King  Messiah,  the  Servant  of  the  Lord,  '  by  whose  stripes 
we  are  healed.'  They  went  forth,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  went 
with  them,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  prospered  in  their 
hands.  Buda-Pest  showed  in  a  striking  way  that  there  is 
a  remnant  in  Israel,  according  to  the  election  of  grace — a 
remnant,  according  to  the  promise  of  Sion's  Bestorer — '  I  will 
lay  the  foundation  with  sapphires. '  " 

Dr.  Saphir  enjoyed  his  visit  to  Edinburgh  much, 

X 


3U     SAPHIRS  ADDRESS  AT  MILDMAY  FAkR 

though  he  was  much  struck  with  the  changes  that 
had  taken  place  in  Scottish  religious  opinions. 

At  the  Jewish  Convention,  held  in  Mildmay  Park 
ill  1889,  he  delivered  an  address  on  the  Jewish 
Mission,  which  set  forth  very  forcibly  its  history 
and  claims  and  present  prosj^ects.     He  said  : — 

The  Jewish  mission  is  of  comparatively  recent 
date.  The  Early  Church  soon  lost  the  true  under- 
standing of  the  Old  Testament.  In  the  Mediaeval 
Church  the  interest  in  the  Jew  was  extremely 
limited.  There  was  a  paganizing  of  Christianity 
— an  image  worship,  &c.,  which  was  especially 
obnoxious  to  the  Jews.  Bernard  of  Clairvaux, 
who  of  all  Church  Fathers  came  nearest  to  the 
Reformers,  set  before  the  Church  that  Israel  was 
still  beloved,  and  that  the  time  was  coming  for 
her  restoration.  But  the  Jews  were  generally 
persecuted.  Luther  turned  his  attention  to  the 
Jews ;  and  many  attempts  did  he  make  both  to 
show  to  the  Christian  Church  the  position  of 
Israel,  as  his  famous  tract  shows,  which  is  entitled 
Jesus  was  horn  a  Jeiv^  and  also  to  argue  with 
the  Jews,  and  to  convince  them  that  that  which 
they  were  most  earnestly  seeking  had  come  'already, 
and  was  treasured  up  in  the  Person  of  Jesus,  but 
he  was  not  able  fully  to  meet  that  which  was  true 
in  the  objection  of  the  Jews,  the  tenacity  with 
which  they  held  the  promise  given  to  the  fathers, 
and  their  national  position  in  looking  forward 
to    the  realization    of  that   great   kingdom  which 


ON  JEWISH  MISSIONS.  315 


has  its  centre  in  the  throne  of  David.     Then  in 

impatience   he    gave   up    all    efforts,  and    thought 

that    it    was    of    no    use,    and    that    they    were 

altogether  a  rejected  people.     Since  the  middle  of 

last  century  Christians  have  taken  an  interest  in 

the  people   of  Israel ;    but   always  those   who  not 

merely  thoroughly  and  cordially,  and  without  any 

reservation  believed  in  the  Divine  authority  of  the 

Scriptures   from    Genesis    down    to    the    book    of 

the  Apocalypse,  but  who  accepted  the  scriptural 

teaching  that  Israel   was  God's   nation,  and  that, 

though  set  aside  for  a  time,  there  were  still  promises 

which  must  surely  be  fulfilled  to  them ;  and  that 

that   nation    had    a    future    before    it,    when    God 

Himself    should    interfere,    and    in    a    way    wliich 

perhaps  we  are  not  able  to  understand,  show  forth 

His  power  and  His  goodness,  and  bring  them  again 

unto  Himself  in  their  own  land.     The  interest  in 

Jewish  missions  will  soon  decay  unless  grounded  on 

the  Word  of  God. 

Even  the  most  shallow  reader  of  Scripture  must 
make  a  difierence  between  the  Jews  and  the  other 
nations.  Their  past  history,  the  wonderful  reve- 
lation which  God  gave  to  their  fathers,  the  wonder- 
ful acts  which  He  did  for  them,  show  this.  The 
whole  Scripture  was  written  by  Jewish  hands. 
Jesus  was  of  the  seed  of  David,  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham.  The  Jewish  mission  of  the  present  day 
is  especially  in  harmony  with  the  characteristic 
feature  of  the  present  stage  of  the  Church  and 
the  world.     The  Mediaeval  Church  did  not  possess 


316     SAPHIRS  ADDRESS   ON  JEWISH  MISSIONS. 


sufficient  gospel  light ;  the  Keformation  Church  did 
not  possess  sufficient  prophetic  light  to  go  to  the 
Jews.  The  great  battle-field  at  present  is  the  Old 
Testament.  Never  mind  the  apparent  results,  the 
difficulties,  and  the  destructive  criticism. 

The  end  of  this  conflict  is  sure.  The  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New  are  one.  The  w^iole  Old  Testa- 
ment, the  friend  of  the  mission  to  the  heathen, 
says  :  '*The  idols  shall  be  utterly  destroyed."  The 
New  Testament  says  :  "All  Israel  shall  be  saved." 
The  Jewish  mission  has  reached  another  stage,  on 
account  of  the  peculiar  change  which  has  come 
over  Israel.  When  Israel  rejected  the  key  which 
alone  is  able  to  open  the  wonderfully  complicated 
lock,  the  Old  Testament,  their  own  history,  and  the 
promises  which  God  had  given  to  them,  it  could 
not  be  otherwise  but  that  they  should  invent  other 
keys,  and  these  keys  had  as  it  were  to  force  the 
wards  of  the  lock.  Rabbinism  for  a  number  of 
centuries  kept  the  Jews  in  its  iron  grip,  but  Rab- 
binism and  Talmudism  have  become  effete.  What 
has  been  substituted  for  them  ?  Monotheism,  but 
not  Jehovahism ;  the  idea  of  the  unicity  of  God, 
but  not  the  knowledsfe  of  the  livino-  and  the  lovino^ 

o  o  o 

God.  Monotheism  is  not  able  to  satisfy  the 
conscience,  or  give  peace  and  joy  to  the  heart,  and, 
therefore,  there  are  in  Israel  multitudes  who  are 
poor  in  spirit,  who  are  hungering  and  thirsting,  who 
have  the  consciousness  that  they  are  blind  and 
miserable  and  wretched,  and  who  are  lono^ing;  after 
the  living  water  that  will  satisfy   the   craving  of 


HE  LONQ^  FOR   UTS  NATIVE  LAND.         317 


tlieir  soul.  Their  attitude  to  the  person  of  Jesus 
has  been  changed ;  and  to  the  New  Testament. 
Formerly  they  would  not  touch  it,  but  many 
thousands  now  read  it.  Eabinowich  is  a  wonder- 
ful sign  of  the  times,  and  the  message  which,  as 
a  Jew,  he  brings  to  the  Jews,  that  Jesus  is  our 
Brother  whom  we  sold  into  Egypt,  has  awakened 
a  marvellous  echo.  The  Jews  have  entered  into 
a  new  phase.     The  field  is  prepared. 

Saphir's  intense  interest  in  the  Jewish  mission, 
and  devotion  to  it,  continued  to  increase  to  the  end. 
One  of  the  last  wishes  he  expressed,  during  the  few 
days  that  intervened  between  the  death  of  his  wife 
and  his  own  death,  was  to  return,  at  all  events  for 
a  time,  to  his  native  Hungary,  to  visit  the  missions 
there,  and  to  strengthen  the  hands  of  his  Jewish 
brethren  in  the  faith. 


318 


CHAPTEE   XXV. 

CLOSING   DAYS. 

Residence  at  Netting  Hill — Services  sought — Many  Afflictions 
— Visit  to  Bournemouth — Happy  Ministry  there — Letter  on 
Lux  Mundi — Return  Home — Last  Sermon— Mrs.  Saphir's 
Death — His  Letters  in  regard  to  her  Death  and  Funeral 
— His  own  Sudden  Death  and  Funeral — Rev.  R.  Taylor's 
Funeral  Address — Testimony  of  Rev.  C.  H.  Spurgeon  and 
others — Inscription  on  the  Tombstone. 

DE.  SAPHIE  resigned  his  charge  at  Halkin  Street 
in  April  1888,  and  from  that  time  to  his 
death,  three  years  later,  he  had  no  charge ;  but  he 
continued  to  reside  at  Notting  Hill.  In  the  winter 
of  1888-89  he  gave  the  Lectures,  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  at  St.  John's  Presbyterian  Church,  Allen 
Street,  Kensington.  His  services  were  frequently 
sought  after.  He  preached  in  different  churches. 
In  this  period  there  was  often  much  depression. 
There  were  many  afflictions.  He  felt  deeply  the 
death  of  the  Eev.  John  Kelly  of  the  Eeligious  Tract 
Society,  a  friend  of  many  years  standing.  Two  of 
Mrs.  Saphir's  sisters  died,  and  Miss  Cavendish  passed 
away.  These  events  made  a  deep  impression  on 
the  Saphirs,  and  seemed  to  give  them  a  kind  of 
foreboding  that  death  was  not  very  far  off.     Mrs, 


HAPPY  MINISTRY  AT  BOURNEMOUTH.       310 

Saphir  became  much  more   fragile,  and    her  state 
caused  him  at  times  great  anxiety. 

There  was  however  a  gleam  of  bright  sunshine 
before  the  end.  He  gloried  in  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  and  he  was  most  joyful,  at  every 
period  of  his  ministry,  when  his  labours  were 
appreciated  and  effective.  The  Rev.  J.  W.  Rodger 
of  Bournemouth  had  to  leave  his  work  for  a  time 
on  account  of  his  health;  and  he  arrani^ed  with  Dr. 
Saphir  to  take  his  place  for  the  winter  of  1890-91. 
Many  old  friends  rallied  round  him  there,  and 
many,  who  had  not  known  him  before,  were 
attracted.  The  church,  which  is  a  most  prosperous 
one,  was  filled,  and  much  blessing  resulted  from 
his  ministry.  It  recalled  to  Dr.  Saphir  the  old 
days  of  Greenwich,  and  his  first  years  at  Notting 
Hill,  and  his  heart  was  filled  with  joy.  He  often 
took  one  or  two  other  services  in  the  week,  besides 
that  of  the  Sabbath  morning,  for  which  alone  he 
was  responsible. 

He  thus  wrote  to  Mr.  Grant  AVilson  on  December 
23,  1890  :— 

We  are  grieved  to  hear  of  your  daughter's  long  and  severe 
illness.  We  hope  she,  and  you,  and  Mrs.  Wilson  will  soon  be 
sensible  of  the  good  effects  of  St.  Leonard's.  The  weather  is 
still  unfavourable  to  invalids.  My  dear  wife  has  scarcely  been 
out  of  the  house  for  the  last  month,  and  she  has  felt  languid 
and  deprfssed.  I  am  thankful  to  say,  though  I  do  not  feel 
stronger,  I  have  greatly  enjoyed  the  services  here,  and  felt 
much  encouraged  by  the  audiences.  I  had  a  service  this 
morning,  and  a  collection  for  the  Jews.  The  people  are  very 
kind.     I  have  had  a  good  many  "  eclectics,"  specially  Church 


320  LETTER   TO   GRANT    WILSON. 

of  England.  I  don't  know  whether  you  noticed  in  27ie 
Christian  two  short  paragraphs  about  my  services,  and  extracts 
from  sermons.  Mr.  Rodger  and  Session  and  people  urge  me 
very  much  to  stay  till  the  end  of  March  ;  but  I  have  yielded  only 
to  remain  all  January.  My  dear  wife's  health  does  not  seem 
to  be  improving.  All  the  people  T  have  spoken  to  like  Mr. 
Rodger's  preaching  very  much.  McNeill  preached  here  on 
Wednesday  afternoon.  He  has  great  power,  no  doubt.  I  like 
him  in  private  ;  he  is  very  simple  and  frank.  Lady  Grant 
came  here  for  three  Sundays.  We  were  greatly  cheered  by 
her  visit.  Mr.  Grubb,  the  great  Church  of  England  missioner 
in  Australia  and  India,  told  me  he  had  made  great  use  of  my 
book  on  Conversion  in  his  missionary  work.  The  Presbyterian 
Church  here  has  a  good  position,  but  it  depends  exclusively 
on  the  minister's  energy.  .  .  But  I  must  conclude.  The  year 
has  had  many  sorrows  and  many  mercies.  May  we  be  per- 
mitted to  enter  on  the  new  year  with  every  needful  grace,  and 
with  calm  hope  ! 

His  latest  ministry  at  Bournemouth  (says  Mr.  Grant 
Wilson)  seemed  a  sort  of  renewal  of  the  Greenwich  days ; 
devout  people  from  all  communions  rallying  to  him,  and 
delighting  in  his  ministry.  The  place  he  did  not  care  for ;  it 
did  not,  he  thought,  suit  him  or  his  wife;  but  his  heart  rejoiced 
in  his  work.  It  seemed  to  me  like  a  glorious  sunset,  vouch- 
safed by  His  Master  to  His  faithful  servant.  Then  how  soon 
after  came  the  close  !  We  had  been  much  in  his  prayers, 
as  our  only  daughter  lay  in  grievous  sickness ;  her  life  ti-em- 
bling  in  the  balance  for  many  months.  Out  of  this  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death  I  wrote  to  him,  the  moment  I  heard  of  his 
wife's  death,  pressing  him  to  come  to  us  at  St.  Leonard's, 
promising  him  sunny  rooms,  perfect  quiet,  and  no  intrusion, 
and  a  godly  nurse  on  our  staff  to  wait  upon  him.  But  it  was 
not  to  be.     He  was  not,  for  God  took  him. 

In  the  following  letter,  Mr.  Wingate  gives  an 
interesting  reference  to  this  period : — 

"  We  are  just  retvirned  from  Freshwater  Bay,  Isle  of  Wight, 
close  to  the  Poet  Laureate's  residence.     The  blessing  of  the 


MR.    WINGATE'S   LETTER.  321 


mission  to  the  Jews  had  an  interesting  illustration.  The  day 
of  our  arrival,  the  otlier  half  of  our  lodging  was  occupied  by 
a  Eyde  gentleman,  a  former  mayor  of  that  town,  who  reminded 
me  of  my  residence  there  thirty  years  ago.  He  is  a  decided 
Christian,  and  told  me  he  had  met  Dr.  Saphir  at  Bournemouth 
during  his  last  winter  there,  and  lodged  in  the  same  house. 
He  had  been  ordered  there  after  an  attack  of  pneumonia. 
He  is  about  seventy.  He  was  devoted  to  ^^aphir.  Every 
Sunday,  Saphir,  being  unable  to  walk,  took  him  in  the  carriage 
to  church.  Every  one  of  the  services  in  the  Scotch  Church  he 
attended.  He  was  with  him  the  day  he  left  Bournemouth. 
When  in  Byde,  thirty  years  ago,  our  next  neighbour  was 
Major  York  Martin,  a  cavalry  officer  and  landed  proprietor. 
His  wife  was  Scotch,  and  serious  ;  the  major  the  reverse  till 
late  in  his  life,  when  he  came  under  the  power  of  the  gospel, 
attracted  by  his  daughter's  faith  after  we  left,  and  was  attended 
on  his  death-bed  by  the  Evangelical  clergyman  of  the  Church 
of  England.  They  had  one  son  and  one  daughter,  the  latter 
a  most  interesting,  elegant  young  lady,  and  most  intelligent, 
but  born  deaf  and  dumb.  Hearing  we  were  in  the  island,  she 
drove  over  to  see  us,  and  told  me  that  it  was  through  our  inter- 
course tliirty  years  ago  that  she  was  brought  to  Christ.  She 
had  the  original  account  by  Dr.  Keith  of  the  origin  of  the 
Pesth  mission,  and  had  always  kept  up  a  lively  interest  in 
God's  ancient  people.  She  seemed  very  happy,  and  nursed  her 
mother,  now  an  invalid.  She  wrote  to  my  daughter  as  follows : — 
'  Please  tell  your  mother  and  father  that  I  believe  Dr.  Saphir's 
book,  called  Found  by  the  Good  Shepherd,  was  the  means  of 
much  blessing  to  my  late  sister-in-law'  (wife  of  Captain 
Martin,  her  only  brother).  She  was  telling  me  about  it  a  fort- 
night before  she  was  gone,  showing  me  a  passage  in  this  book 
(p.  159)  beginning  with,  'Lord,  remember  me!'  and  said  that 
she  would  like  it  read  to  her  when  she  was  dying.  A  few 
days  after  she  passed  away,  and  her  wish  was  granted." 

In  a  letter  to  a  relative    dated   Bouniemouth, 
February  3,  he  says  : — 

"  I  am  still  here,  though  the  place  does  not  agree  with  either 


322     SAPHIKS  REFERENCE   TO   'LUX  MUNDIJ 

of  us.  But  the  minister  is  still  abroad,  and  one  of  the  chief 
members  of  the  church  who  is  very  much  attached  to  us  is 
dying.  I  don't  know  how  long  I  may  stay  on.  I  told  them 
Sunday  8th  is  my  last,  but  I  may  stay  another  Sunday  or  two." 

After  speaking  of  family  affairs,  he  refers  to  Lux 
Mundi.     His  relative  was  a  clergyman  : — 

^*  As  for  Lux  Mundi,  I  have  only  read  an  analysis  of  it  in 
a  German  theological  paper.  It  seems  to  me  a  thoroughly 
unsound  book  ;  not  holding  the  utter  and  radical  difference 
between  Truth,  the  Oracles  of  God  committed  and  entrusted 
to  Israel,  "Revelation  embodied  in  Scripture,  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  thoughts,  inspirations,  and  intuitions  of  men.  The 
Eev,  H.  S.  Holland  does  not  seem  to  know  what  faith  is,  and 
views  it  (according  to  this  analysis)  chiefly  as  the  subjective 
longing  upwards,  not  as  the  fiducia,  calling  Jesus  my  Christ  and 
Saviour,  and  given  by  the  Spirit.  All  this  talk  about  heathen 
sages  and  moralists  being  substantially  Christians,  bolstered 
up  with  quotations  from  the  Fathers  (who  were  poor  muddled 
babies  in  doctrine,  most  of  them),  is  very  weak,  and  subversive 
of  fundamental  truth.  *  I  am  the  Way.'  As  for  the  kenosis 
being  an  argument  to  invalidate  the  force  of  Christ's  declaration 
concerning  Scripture,  it  is  painful  to  have  such  a  mystery  and 
speculation  brought  to  bear  on  a  simple  and  important  practical 
point.  But  granting  all  the  views  of  the  kenosis,  Christ  viewed 
simply  as  a  Prophet  ;  and  the  Prophet  could  not  mislead  on  such 
a  vital  question.  The  distinction  between  self-made,  subjective 
prophets,  and  those  whom  God  sent  (vide  Jeremiah),  and  the 
very  Mission  of  Christ,  so  often  insisted  on  in  the  Gospels 
(specially  John),  to  be  the  light,  and  to  make  known  to  us  the 
Father,  and  all  the  Father  wishes  us  to  know,  invests  Christ's 
teaching  with  absolute  authority  and  certitude. 

"  This  combination  of  High  Chiirchism  and  Broad  Churchism 
is  like  the  rheumatic  gout.  On  the  subject  of  the  Church  it 
is  high  time  that  Christians  should  be  taught  clearly.  It  is 
astonishing  what  a  failure  the  so-called  Church  has  been  at  all 
times,  a  few  bright  glimpses  of  the  Beformation  period  (about 
twenty  or  thirty  years)  and  such-like  once  a  century,  excepted. 


MODERN  BIBLE   CRITICISM  REJECTED.     323 

This  is  a  large  subject,  and  I  fancy  you  would  think  me  too 
radical  if  I  wrote  more.  I  told  a  Ritualist  clergyman  once, 
The  Church  is  quite  as  much  a  failure  as  an  outward  Institution, 
as  Israel  was  !  It  is  very  sad  to  see  the  Church  of  England 
so  fearfully  undermined  and  poisoned.  Read  Garhjle}  Moses 
and  the  Prophets ;  also  Cave's  Conflict  of  the  StandjmintsJ' 

Saphir,  it  may  be  seen  in  this  and  other  of  his 
letters,  rejected,  as  unfounded,  the  modern  revo- 
lutionary criticism  of  the  Old  Testament  of  Graf, 
Kuenen,  Wellhausen,  and  others,  modified,  but 
still  adopted  in  its  main  outlines,  by  Driver  and 
emphatically  by  Cheyne.  He  considered  that  its 
true  basis  was  to  be  found,  as  avowed  by  Kuenen, 
the  ablest  of  the  critics,  in  the  denial  or  imiorino; 
of  the  supernatural — the  attempt  to  account  for 
the  history  apart  from  God.  He  believed  that  it 
would  speedily  pass  away,  as  the  similar  attempt 
of  Friedrich  Baur  with  the  books  of  the  New 
Testament,  but  that  in  the  meantime  it  was  doing 
immense  mischief  in  the  Churches,  in  the  un- 
settling of  faith,  and  that  it  was  logically  sub- 
versive of  Christianity.  He  was  much  grieved  in 
spirit  and  troubled  in  regard  to  this  question,  in 
his  later  years.  In  his  entire  rejection  of  it  in  its 
main  features,  he  was  supported  by  all  converted 
Jews  of  learning,  we  believe,  and  by  almost  all 
the  learned  Rahhis,  to  whom  Hebrew  is  familiar 
from  childhood  as  a  native  tongue. 

The    Saphirs    returned    from    Bournemouth    on 

1  Referring  to  a  little   book   of  mine,  which  he  strongly 
recommended  to  a  number  of  people. — G.  C. 


324  DR.   SAPHIRS  LAST  SERMON. 

Friday,  March  13,  both  in  excellent  spirits,  and,  as 
many  of  their  friends  thought,  looking  better  than 
when  they  left.  Others,  however,  thought  differ- 
ently. On  Saturday  evening  his  friend,  Mr.  Frank 
White,  of  Talbot  Tabernacle,  was  ill,  and  sent  to 
him,  to  ask  him  to  preach  there  on  Sunday  morn- 
ino-.  This  he  did.  It  was  his  last  sermon.  His 
subject,  singularly  enough,  was  "  Enoch  walked 
with  God."  After  his  wife's  death  he  remarked 
how  singular  it  was  that  he  should  have  chosen 
such  a  text,  little  thinking,  even  then,  that  it 
would  apply  also  to  himself. 

Mr.  Frank  White  writes  as  to  this  : — 

"  You  are,  I  believe,  writing  a  biography  of  dear  Mr.  Saphir. 
May  I  say  he  preached  his  last  sermon  in  our  Talbot  Tabernacle 
about  three  weeks  before  his  death,  upon  the  text  '  Enoch 
walked  with  God.'  It  was  noticed  he  stopped  here,  leaving 
his  own  departure  to  illustrate  the  remainder — '  And  he  was 
not,  for  God  took  him.'  I  was  in  very  broken  health  at  the 
time ;  and  with  his  oft-proved  kindness  he  consented  to  preach 
for  me,  with  only  a  few  hours'  notice.  Many  were  struck  with 
the  singular  freshness  and  power  which  characterized  this, 
his  last  discourse  on  earth.  May  the  special  grace  of  God 
strengthen  you  in  your  good  effort,  that,  thereby,  he  being 
dead,  may  yet  speak  !  " 

Dr.  Saphir  thus  wrote  to  Mrs.  Rodger  after  his 
return  to  London,  on  March  18,  and  about  a 
fortnio^ht  before  his  death  : — 

"  We  got  home  on  Friday,  and  I  was  feeling  most  tired  on 
Saturday,  when  at  nine  o'clock  at  night  a  neighbouring  minis- 
ter's wife  called  and  told  me  her  husband  was  rather  ill,  and 
so  I  had  to  take  his  Morning  Service. 

"^I  hope  the  weather  in  Bournemouth  is  better  than  here, 


HIS  LETTER   TO   MRS.   RODGER.  325 

so  that  you  will  not  feel  the  change  too  much  after  the  sunny 
skies  of  the  south.  The  people  will  be  greatly  delighted  to 
see  you  again,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  have  a  very  warm 
welcome.  Although  we  both  felt  languid  all  the  time — perhaps 
partly  owing  to  the  unfavourable  weather,  and  the  somewhat 
limited  lodgings — we  enjoyed  our  stay  at  Bournemouth  very 
much,  and  shall  always  cherish  a  very  pleasant  and  grateful 
remembrance  of  it.  So  many  congenial  and  kind  peoj)le  turned 
up,  also  old  friends — former  hearers — that  we  felt  greatly 
cheered.  We  became  very  much  attached  to  dear  Mr. 
Murray,  and  I  am  thankful  I  was  able  to  see  so  much  of  him. 
He  often  spoke  of  you,  and  very  warmly.  His  simple  faith 
never  wavered,  and  his  delight  in  the  Word  of  God  and  in 
prayer  was  great.  I  said  a  few  words  about  him  the  Sunday 
after  his  death,  and  the  congregation  seemed  much  affected.  .  . 
'•  My  whole  time  at  St.  Andrew's  Church  was  bright,  and 
without  the  slightest  even  momentary  cloud,  and  I  do  trust 
that  it  has  pleased  God  to  give  spiritual  blessing.  I  felt 
quite  at  home  in  the  church.  We  got  quite  fond  of  Mr. 
Douglas.  Miss  Digby  often  came  to  the  church,  and  we 
are  greatly  impressed  with  her  thoroughness  and  devotion. 
Mrs.  Dent  and  my  wife  became  quite  romantically  attached  to 
each  other.  Miss  Jackson  also  we  liked  very  much.  .  .  .  AVe 
hope  you  will  have  much  blessing  and  happiness  in  your  home 
and  church,  and  all  needful  grace  and  strength.  Mrs.  East 
was  extremely  kind,  and  we  enjoyed  her  frank  and  sensible 
conversation  much.  There  is  a  dear  bright  old  lady,  Mrs. 
Millie,  who  was  introduced  to  us  by  a  friend  at  Montr eux. 
She  is  eighty-three,  but  very  bright.  Mrs.  Hogue  was  also 
very  kind  in  calling,  &c." 

After  this  lie  was  attacked  with  influenza,  from 
which  he  had  suffered  before.  There  seemed  no- 
thing serious  ;  but  Mrs.  Saphir,  as  usual,  constantly 
tended  him,  and  she  also  became  ill.  With  her  the 
attack  speedily  passed  to  the  lungs.  At  first  little 
was  thought  of  it ;  but  she  became  rapidly  worse, 


326  MBS.    SAPHIES  DEATH. 


and  on  the  day  before  her  death  the  case  was 
pronounced  hopeless.  She  fell  asleep  calmly  on  the 
morning  of  Tuesday,  March  31,  two  or  three  weeks 
after  the  return  to  London.  Her  last  message  to 
a  faithful  servant  was  to  take  care  of  her  master. 
We  have  two  letters  written  after  Mrs.  Saphir's 
death.  The  first,  on  the  day  of  her  death,  addressed 
to  their  niece,  Mrs.  Maturin,  is  as  follows : — 

"My  dear  Leila, 

"My  brain  and  heart  are  both  ^^e^/'Z/iecZ — as  I  write 
to  you  of  the  awful  loss  I  have  sustained.  Your  dear  aunt 
Sara  passed  away  this  morning  at  one  o'clock.  No  pain  or 
even  struggle.  We  had  both  injluenza  (I  am  full  of  ear- 
aches and  deafness,  &c.),  and  dear  A.  S.  went  to  a  separate 
room  on  Wednesday.  Severe  bronchitis,  j^neumonia,  con- 
gestion of  the  lungs,  and  weakness  of  heart  made  it  almost 
hopeless  from  the  beginning.  Stanley  Smith  was  not  anxious 
till  Sunday.  Second  opinion,  Harvey,  on  Monday.  She 
scarcely  knew  she  was  very  ill — had  no  pain.  I  saw  her  to  the 
very  last,  but  she  could  not  say  a  word.  Before  that  she  had 
said  little  kind  things  about  Ethel's  baby,  etc. 

"  Dear  Lady  Grant,  the  Jacombs,  and  the  Schonbergers  are 
extremely  kind.  I  hope  to  hav^e  the  funeral  on  Friday — only 
a  few  friends ;  and  I  am  not  able  for  anything,  being  still 
neuralgic,  and  have  only  Mary  and  Chickmoor.  Both  are 
very  good ;  so  really  the  kindest  thing  is  to  have  the  funeral 
very,  very  quiet. 

"  Your  dear  Aunt  Sara  is  the  most  wonderful  thing  I  have 
seen.  The  most  perfect  simplicity  and  childlike  purity,  and 
an  expression  of  deep  thought.     It  is  most  striking. 

"  I  cannot  say  more.  I  dare  not  think  of  the  Future.  I 
ought  to  be  thankful  for  the  Past  and  for  Eternity. 

"  Give  my  love  to  all  the  family.  I  am  sure  I  have  their 
sympathy.  I  could  speak  to  her  to  the  last  of  the  Blessed 
Saviour,  the  love  of  God,  and  the  perfect  safety  of  Christ's 
blood -bo uo^ht  flock. 


LETTERS   IS  REGARD    Tu   HER  DEATH.     327 

"  God  bless  you,  my  dear  Leila  !  She  enjoyed  your  last 
letter.     Always  yours, 

"■  A.  ISaphir." 

The  second  letter — the  last  probably  he  ever 
wrote — was  addressed  on  the  following  day,  Wednes- 
day, April  1,  to  Mrs.  Kodger  of  Bournemouth  : — 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Eodger, 

"I  can  only  write  a  line,  my  head  and  heart  are  so 
sore.  My  darling  Sara  passed  away  yesterday  morning, 
after  a  few  days'  illness.  I  began  with  influenza,  and  she 
followed,  and  had  to  go  to  another  I'oom.  After  two  days, 
bronchitis  led  to  pneumonia  and  coDgestion  of  the  lungs. 
Heart  very  weak.  I  knew  of  her  intense  danger  only  eight 
hours  or  so.  She  had  no  pain,  and  no  idea  of  danger.  She 
passed  away  most  quietly.  She  looked  at  me,  and  listened  to 
the  few  words  about  the  Father  and  Saviour  I  addressed 
to  her. 

"  Dear  Mrs.  Eodger,  I  cannot  write.  She  often  spoke  of 
you,  and  of  Mr.  Rodger's  new  start.  She  felt  great  affection 
for  the  Bournemouth  people.     A  very  sweet  remembrance  ! 

"  If  Mr.  Kodger  would  ask  the  Christian  friends  at  St. 
Andrew's  to  remember  me  in  prayer,  in  my  overwhelming 
sorrow  and  desolateness  of  heart,  I  would  esteem  it  a  great 
kindness.  The  Lord  bless  you  both,  and  guide  you  day  by 
day  !  I  knew  my  dear  wife  since  '52 ;  we  were  married  in 
'54  ;  and  oh,  what  a  treasure  she  was  !  I  have  to  give  thanks. 
Her  face  was  exquisite  after  death,  the  simplicity  and  wisdom 
of  a  child.     My. dear  friend — au  revoir,  as  you  said. 

"  Yours  sincerely, 

"A.  Saphir. 

"  P.S. — I  am  full  of  neuralgia  and  influenza. 
"  I  could  not  finish  this  till  Thursday." 

On  Friday  was  the  funeral  of  Mrs.  Sapliir.     His 
attached  friend.  Lady   Grant,   was  present  in  the 


328         DR.   SAPHIRS  LAST  BAYS   ON  EARTH. 

house.  A  mutual  friend  states  the  following 
affecting  incident,  described  to  her  with  deep 
emotion  by  Lady  Grant  herself,  just  after  it  had 
happened  : — "  Lady  Grant  had  brought  a  wreath 
of  white  flowers  to  put  upon  the  coffin  of  her  dearly 
loved  friend.  Dr.  Saphir  took  it  in  his  hand, 
and  placed  it  himself  and  said,  '  I  will  put  this 
wreath  on  the  left  side  near  her  heart.'  And  then 
he  added,  after  a  slight  pause,  '  and  I  wish  now, 
before  my  dear  wife  is  carried  to  her  last  resting- 
place,  and  in  the  presence  of  these  few  faithful 
friends,  to  say  what  I  feel  about  dear  Lady  Grant's 
tender  and  unchanging  friendship  for  us.  The 
deep  comfort  of  her  warm  sympathy  and  affection 
in  hours  of  sorrow  and  anxiety  cannot  be  expressed 
by  me,  for  she  has  been  more  than  a  mother  to  us.'  " 
He  was  deeply  moved  as    he   thus   spoke. 

Dr.  Saphir  was  forbidden  to  attend  the  funeral ; 
and  his  old  and  dear  friend,  Mr.  Wingate,  re- 
mained with  him  in  the  house.  He  read  many 
of  the  letters  of  sympathy,  seemed  collected,  and 
he  gave  utterance  to  the  words  more  than  once 
— "  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness  " — 
showing  his  perfect  submission  to  the  Divine  will, 
and  his  sense  of  the  Divine  love  in  the  midst 
of  it  all.  He  had  no  anticipation  of  his  im- 
mediate death.  He  had  talked  of  leaving  London, 
and  said  in  connection  with  this,  when  told 
that  a  grave  had  been  purchased  for  two,  that 
It  was  unnecessary,  as  he  would  not  remain  in 
London.     He  had  thoughts  of  returning  to  visit  the 


HIS  SUFFERINGS  AND   DEATH.  329 

home  of  his  fathers — Pesth — which  he  had  never 
seen  since  his  boyhood.  Knowing  that  he  was  now 
intestate,  since  he  had  left  all  in  his  will  to  his 
wife,  he  arranged  that  his  lawyer  should  visit  him 
on  the  next  morning,  at  nine,  to  make  a  new  will. 
He  took  supper  with  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  E.  H. 
Perrin  of  Liverpool,  who  had  come  to  the  funeral 
of  Mrs.  Saphir,  and  was  staying  with  him,  and  he 
went  to  bed  apparently  well.  About  four  o'clock 
the  servant  was  awakened  by  his  knocking  on  the 
wall.  She  found  him  in  great  pain.  He  requested 
her  at  once  to  send  for  Dr.  Stanley  Smith,  who 
was  for  many  years  a  devoted  friend  as  well  as 
medical  adviser.  His  sufferings  continued  to  in- 
crease. He  endured  great  agony  for  a  time.  Dr. 
Stanley  Smith  used  every  effort  to  save  him,  but 
the  case  was  soon  seen  to  be  hopeless.  He  had 
been  attacked  by  angina  pectoris,  caused  by  the 
sad  excitement  through  which  he  had  passed,  for 
he  never  had  had  any  threatening  of  it  before. 
On  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Schonberger,  speaking 
to  him  of  confidence  in  the  glorious  promises,  he 
gave  signs  of  his  acquiescence.  He  repeated  to 
him  several  psalms.  Mrs.  Schonberger  was  also 
present  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  passed 
away  before  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning ;  his 
countenance  most  noble  in  death.  His  friends, 
who  came  anxiously  to  inquire  for  him,  were 
startled  by  the  intelligence  that  he  had  also  gone. 
Thus,  within  four  days  wife  and  husband,  so 
devoted  to  each  other,  had  passed  away  from  the 


330  DR.    SAPHIRS   FUNERAL. 

scenes  of  earth.  Many  of  his  friends  had  wondered 
how  he  would  ever  get  on  without  her,  but  the 
question   was  now  solved. 

The  funeral  took  place  on  Wednesday,  April  8. 
The  coffin  was  borne  to  Trinity  Church,  Notting 
Hill,  so  associated  with  him,  and  where  so  many 
had  listened  to  his  words  of  power.  Dr.  Sinclair 
Paterson,  the  minister,  presided.  The  church  was 
filled  with  many  mourning  friends.  Dr.  Paterson, 
Dr.  Dykes,  and  others  took  part  in  the  services, 
and  an  impromptu  address,  which  was  thrilling  and 
powerful,  was  given  by  the  Eev.  Robert  Taylor, 
ever  a  much-loved  friend.  The  following  account 
appeared  of  the  funeral,  and  address,  in  Tlie 
Christian  of  April   17,  1891:— 

The  deep  and  widespread  feeling  of  sorrow  at 
the  unexpected  decease  of  the  eminent  preacher  and 
writer  was  manifest  in  the  large  and  very  repre- 
sentative gathering  of  friends  at  the  funeral  service 
last  week  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Notting  Hill. 
Many  members  of  the  London  Presbyteries  were 
present,  as  well  as  the  pastors  belonging  to  other 
denominations,  and  a  large  body  of  former  hearers 
and  friends  from  diflferent  parts  of  London.  The 
pulpit  in  which  Dr.  Saphir  had  stood  so  often 
and  delivered  his  wonderful  discourses  was  draped 
in  black,  and  a  solemn,  sorrowful  hush  seemed 
to  brood  over  the  congregation  throughout  the 
impressive    service. 

As  the  coffin,  laden  with    beautiful   wreaths  of 
white  flowers,  was  being  carried  up  the  aisle  and 


BEV.    JR.    TAYLOR'S   FUNERAL   ADDRESS.      331 

deposited  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  Dr.  Sinclair 
Paterson  (the  pastor  of  the  church)  and  Principal 
Oswald  Dykes  took  their  places  in  the  pulpit,  with 
brethren  of  Presbytery  and  other  well-known 
brethren,  grouped  around  immediately  below.  The 
service  began  with  a  brief  but  pathetic  prayer  by 
Dr.  Paterson.     Then  was  sung  the  hymn — 

"  The  sands  of  time  are  sinking, 
The  dawn  of  heaven  breaks," 

chosen  because  it  was  a  favourite  with  the  departed. 
Dr.  Dykes  read  portions  of  the  funeral  service — 
pra3^ers  breathing  resignation,  and  beseeching  for 
the  sorrowing  survivors  the  consolations  of  the 
Divine  Spirit ;  and  passages  of  Scripture  full  of 
comfort  and  hope.  During  the  reading,  and 
throuohout  the  solemn  eno'ao-ements  of  the  hour, 
many  in  the  congregation  were  bowed  with  grief. 
After  another  hymn — 

''Peace,  perfect  peace,  in  this  cUrk  world  of  sin,'' 

the  Eev.  Eobert  Taylor  of  Upper  Norwood  delivered 
with  much  feeling  a  short  address.     He  said  : — 

Dear  Friends  and  Fellow- mourners, — It  is  only 
a  few  minutes  since  I  was  asked  to  take  j)art  in 
this  sad  and  solemn,  and  yet  in  some  ways  joyous 
and  beautiful,  service.  Even  though  I  had  had 
long  notice,  I  could  not  have  felt  myself  qualified 
to  express  half  my  own  sense,  or  yours,  of  the 
preciousness  of  the  gift  that  God  gave  to  us 
in  our  departed  brother,  or  the  greatness  of  the 
loss  that  we  have  sustained  by  His  recalling  that 


332  RF.V.   R.    TAYLORS  ADDRESS 

precious  gift.  Still  less  could  I  trust  myself  to 
give  utterance  to  the  feelings  of  affection  and 
admiration  whicli  sprang  up  spontaneously,  and 
continued  during  the  whole  term  of  my  acquaint- 
ance with,  and  relation  to,  our  departed  friend  and 
God's  servant.  And  yet  possibly  it  may  not  be 
inappropriate  to  say  a  few  words,  that,  if  they  do 
not  express,  will  at  least  suggest,  to  you  who  knew 
and  loved  Dr.  Saphir  as  I  did,  what  we  owe  to 
him  and  to  the  God  who  gave  him  to  us.  The 
thought  of  what  we  owe  both  to  the  memory  of 
our  friend  and  the  grace  of  his  and  our  Master, 
may  well  make  us  strive  to  imbibe  those  profound 
views  of  Biblical  truth  which  he  saw  so  clearly  and 
preached  so  powerfully,  and  to  walk  in  the  foot- 
steps of  his  clear  and  glowing  hope  until  we,  too, 
see  the  King  in  His  beauty,  and  see  our  brother 
transformed  and  glorified  (yet  not  beyond  our 
recognition),  by  the  sight  and  in  the  light  of  the 
Master,  he  loved  so  well  and  served  so  faithfully. 
I  suppose  that  when  we  heard — some  of  us 
only  yesterday — of  the  singular,  I  might  venture 
to  say  tragical,  circumstances  connected  with  the 
departure  of  those  two — husband  and  wife — so  loug 
and  so  closely  and  tenderly  linked  to  one  another, 
we  were  at  first  stunned  and  almost  ap2:)alled  by 
what  seemed  to  us  the  mysterious  though,  no 
doubt,  righteous  and  loving  ways  of  their  and  our 
Father.  And  yet  I  assume  that  a  very  few  minutes' 
reflection  disclosed  to  us  not  only  the  singular 
grace,  but,  I   would  venture  to  say,  the  singular 


AT  DR.    SAPHIR'S  FUNERAL.  333 

beauty  of  that  Divine  dispensation  that  severed 
these  two,  so  long  and  dearly  linked,  and  for  a 
few  brief  days  parted.  It  must  have  proved  pain- 
ful to  our  beloved  brother  when,  not  the  hand  of 
death,  but  of  Death's  Destroyer  and  his  dear  Lord, 
unclosed  from  his  fond  hand  that  hand  which  his 
had  so  long  clasped.  But  was  it  not  gracious  and 
beautiful  when  the  same  Lord  came  back  again, 
and  giving  the  solitary  mourner  His  Own  Divine 
Hand,  led  him  too  across  the  valley,  and  reunited 
those  two,  so  suddenly  and  for  so  short  a  season 
severed  ;  then  in  that  blessed  union,  not  a  marriage 
union,  but  better,  and  holier,  and  happier  than  a 
marriage  union — to  the  Blessed  Bridegroom  of  all 
redeemed  souls,  and  to  one  another  in  Him,  and 
with  Him,  and  like  Him,  for  ever  and  ever  ? 

PKOPHET,    APOSTLE,    SEER. 

I  cannot  detain  you  by  doing  more  than 
pointing  in  simple  phrase  to  what  you  and  I 
recognize  and  rejoice  at,  in  the  singular  and  pre- 
eminent gifts  and  graces  of  our  departed  friend 
and  brother.  It  is  true,  indeed,  as  we  are  told  in 
the  Lord's  own  Word,  that  the  sons  of  God  are 
born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor 
of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.  And  yet  I  do  not 
do  dishonour  to  the  Divine  grace,  which  is  not 
only  paramount,  but  in  some  respects  alone  in  the 
wondrous  transaction  that  makes  a  child  of  the 
flesh  into  a  spiritual  child  of  the  living  God,  when 
I  say  that  we  can   hardly  fail   to   recognize  and 


334  REV.    R.    TAYLORS  ADDRESS 

learn  the  influence  of  blood  and  of  race  in  the 
spirit  and  teaching  of  our  departed  brother.  He 
united  in  a  rather  remarkable  way — in  a  way  that 
was  only  possible  to  one  in  whom  the  blood  of 
patriarchs,  and  prophets,  and  apostles  flowed — the 
spiritual  iusight,  the  sense  of  God,  and  of  things 
Godly  and  Divine,  peculiarly  appropriate  at  once 
to  the  prophet  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
apostle  of  the  New.  In  these  days,  when  truth 
is  thrown  into  the  crucible,  only,  as  we  are  fully 
assured,  to  come  forth  like  refined  gold,  how 
precious  to  the  Church  of  God  were  the  teaching 
and  testimony  of  such  a  man  of  God,  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  whose  attitude  towards  Divine 
truth  was  ever,  not  philosophical,  not  scientific, 
but  Biblical  and  spiritual ;  who  spoke  as  a  man, 
who  saw  and  who  felt,  and  therefore  who  fully 
knew,  the  deep  things  of  God  !  And  do  we  not 
rejoice  to-day,  that  though  his  voice  is  silent  now, 
his  teaching  lives  in  those  precious  volumes  which 
he  has  bequeathed  as  his  legacy  to  the  Church  ? 
Have  we  not  often  felt,  as  we  listened  to  him,  that 
the  fire  and  fervour  of  holy  Samuel  Eutherford, 
and  the  depth  and  comprehensiveness  of  the  great 
John  Owen,  were  combined  in  this  remarkable  man  ? 
This  dispensation  of  the  23rovidencc  of  our  loving 
Father,  in  many  respects  is  sad  and  sore  from  our 
point  of  view.  But  in  these  days,  when  so  much 
attention,  especially  on  the  part  of  our  younger 
ministers,  is  being  given  to  comparatively  sub- 
ordinate and  external  questions  affecting  the  Book 


AT  DR.    SAPHIR'S  FUNERAL.  335 

of  God,  if  this  dispensation  should  lead  our  young 
men  to  baptize  themselves — I  might  say  to  bury 
themselves — in  the  thoughts  and  inspirations  of  the 
great  spiritual  teacher,  apostle,  seer,  whom  God 
hath  now  taken  to  Himself,  it  will  not  only  not  be 
a  heavy  loss,  but  a  great  gain,  first  to  the  teachers 
themselves,  and  then  to  the  members  of  the  Church 
of  God. 

I  feel  that  I  have  trespassed  too  far,  but  I 
have  just  spoken  what  has  come  to  my  mind  and 
welled  out  of  my  heart  at  the  moment.  I  loved 
our  departed  friend  with  a  very  peculiar  love.  I 
admired  him,  and  in  other  years,  more  than  recently, 
I  frequently  enjoyed  his  delightful  fellowship.  I 
was  charmed  to  know,  as  only  those  who  came  in 
contact  with  him  in  the  confidence  and  all'ection 
of  private  friendship  know,  how  the  more  solemn 
and  thoughtful  elements  of  his  character  were 
softened  and  illuminated  by  a  singular  gracious- 
ness  and  a  flashing  humour  of  spirit.  We  recall 
his  gifts  and  graces,  we  bewail  his  loss,  we  cherish 
his  memory,  we  consecrate  ourselves  anew  to  the 
service  of  the  dear  Master,  whom  he  now  sees  face 
to  face.  And  we  resolve  and  trust  that  the  kingdom 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  shall  be  the  great  subject 
of  our  thought,  the  great  object  of  our  anxiety, 
of  our  eflbrt,  of  our  prayer,  till  we  too  see  Him 
in  His  beauty,  where  His  servant  now  is — see  Him, 
mayhap,  as  His  servant,  in  glowing  language,  often 
pictured  Him,  when  He  shall  come  again  in  the 
glory  of  His  Father,  attended  by   His  angels,  to 


336  SPURGEON'S   TESTIMONY. 


gather  His  saints  into  the  light  of  His  love,  and 
to  say  to  them  :  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  My  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  VA^orld." 

At  the  close  of  Mr.  Taylor's  address,  prayer 
was  offered  by  the  Rev.  George  Elder  of  Greenwich, 
who  succeeded  Dr.  Saphir  in  the  ministry  there. 
The  hymn  was  sung — 

"  For  ever  with  the  Lord," 

and  the  Benediction  was  pronounced  (in  tones 
never  to  be  forgotten)  by  the  Rev.  W.  Wingate, 
the  oldest  living  friend  of  the  deceased,  and  one 
of  those  who  received  Dr.  Saphir  into  the  fellowship 
of  the  Christian  Church  at  Pesth. 

Mr.  Spurgeon,  who  was  so  soon  himself  to 
follow,  thus  noticed  his  death  at  the  close  of  his 
sermon,  on  April  12,  1891,  one  of  the  few  last 
sermons  of  his  wonderful  ministry  : — 

"  Our  dearly  beloved  friend  Adolph  Saphir 
passed  away  last  Saturday,  and  his  wife  died  three 
days  before  him.  When  my  dear  brother.  Dr. 
Sinclair  Paterson,  went  to  see  him,  the  beloved 
Saphir  said  to  him,  *  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is 
no  darkness  at  all.'  Nobody  could  have  quoted 
that  passage  but  Saphir,  the  Biblical  student,  the 
lover  of  the  Word,  the  lover  of  the  God  of  Israel — 
'  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  all.' 
His  dear  wife  is  gone,  and  he  himself  is  ill ;  but 
'  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  all.' 


MB.    WIN  GATE'S  TESTIMONY.  337 

This  is  a  deep  well  of  overflowing  comfort,  if  you 
understand  it  well.  God's  providence  is  light  as 
well  as  His  promise,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  makes 
us  know  this.  God's  word,  and  will,  and  w^ay  are 
all  light  to  His  people,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness 
at  all  for  them.  God  Himself  is  purely  and  only 
light.  What  if  there  be  darkness  in  me,  there  is 
no  darkness  in  Him ;  and  His  Spirit  causes  me  to 
fly  to  Him  !  What  if  there  be  darkness  in  my 
family,  there  is  no  darkness  in  my  covenant  God, 
and  His  Spirit  makes  me  rest  in  Him  !  What  if 
there  be  darkness  in  my  body,  by  reason  of  my 
failing  strength,  there  is  no  failing  in  Him,  and 
there  is  no  darkness  in  Him ;  His  Spirit  assures 
me  of  this.  David  says,  '  God,  my  exceeding  joy ' ; 
and  such  He  is  to  us.  '  Yea,  mine  own  God  is 
He.'  Can  you  say,  '  My  God,  my  God  '  ?  Do 
you  want  any  more  ?  .  .  .  He  is  all  that  is  good. 
'  Light  only  ;  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  all.'  I  have 
all  light,  yea,  all  things  when  I  have  my  God." 

Mr.  Wins^ate  wrote  to  the  Jeivish  Herald:—- 
In  the  death  of  Dr.  Saphir,  the  Church  has 
lost  the  prince  of  Bible  preachers.  Like  Luther, 
he  was  a  Doctor  of  Holy  Scripture,  and  though 
dead,  his  thoughtful  and  spirited  books,  no  less 
than  his  eminently  helpful  ministrations,  will 
speak  to  many  hearts  the  Gospel  of  Christ  for 
years  to  come. 

From   the    hour   of    his    spiritual    birth   to    his 
sudden    translation    to  glory  last   Saturday,  grace 


338         NOTICED   OF   DR.    SAPHIR'S   DEATH. 

reigned  triumphantly  in  Dr.  Sapbir.  He  was  one 
of  the  most  beautiful,  heavenly- minded  men  of  this 
age ;  bumble,  loving,  filled  with  Scripture  from 
Genesis  to  Ke relation — a  mind  unique  ;  highly 
educated  in  German,  English,  and  all  literature. 
The  gospel,  in  all  his  sermons,  was  so  interwoven 
with  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  that  without 
any  "  Apologetics,"  you  felt  every  heresy  answered. 
The  "Word"  was  with  him,  the  "Word  of  God," 
living,  powerful,  awakening,  sanctifying,  saving. 
Sincere  Christians  left  the  church  rejoicing,  feeling 
like  the  disciples  at  Emmaus  ;  the  Scriptures  were 
opened,  and  their  hearts  warmed  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  Christ  Himself  being  in  the  midst  of  them, 
fulfilling  His  promise,  "Preach  ye  the  gospel," 
and  "  I  am  with  you  always,  to  the  end  of  the 
ages." 

Mrs.  Sapbir  passed  away  in  perfect  peace.  Her 
funeral  took  place  on  Friday.  Dr.  Saphir  sat  in  a 
chair  and  received  the  mourners.  After  a  short 
service  all  left  for  Kensal  Green  cemetery,  leaving  me 
in  charge  of  Dr.  Saphir.  Being  alone,  we  conversed 
about  his  beloved  wife,  already  "  absent  from  the 
body,"  but  "j^i^esent  with  the  Lord."  He  spoke  of  his 
last  sermon  (on  Enoch,  and  applied  it  to  her),  and 
then  said  how  the  eleventh  chapter  of  St.  John  was 
never  out  of  his  mind.  "It  abode  with  me,"  he  said, 
"verse  by  verse,  ever  since  I  took  ill ;  but  to-day  I 
am  calmed  and  resigned  by  this  word,  'God  is  light, 
and  in  Him  is  no  darkness — no  darkness — no 
darkness/  "  emphasizing  it  thus.     I  now  took  leave. 


BEAUTIFUL    THOUGHTS.  339 

handing  him  over  to  the  care  of  his  brother-in-law, 
neither  of  us  dreaming  that  we  should  never 
again  converse  on  earth.  Next  morning  a  message 
came,  "Dr.  Sapbir  passed  away  in  perfect  peace 
before  nine  o'clock  this  morning."  Lovely  in 
their  forty  years'  union,  in  death  they  were  not 
divided. 

A  few  days  after  the  funeral  of  Dr.  Saphir,  Mr. 
Schonberger  remarked,  "  I  closed  the  eyes  of  Dr. 
Saphir' s  father  in  Bud  a- Pest ;  I  closed  the  eyes  of 
Dr.  Saphir's  mother,  who  lived  with  me  in  Prague  ; 
and  now  I  am  come  to  London  to  do  the  same,  at 
his  deathbed."  Mr.  Schonberger  could  not  see  the 
meaning  of  his  return  at  first,  but  now^  it  was 
all  plain.  He  and  his  wife.  Dr.  Saphir's  only 
surviving  sister,  carefully  endorse  the  following 
beautiful  thoughts  from  the  pen  of  one  who  is  now 


o 


pen 


looking  at  all  things  from  the  heavenly  heights  : — 
"  All  the  events  of  life  are  precious  to  one  that 
has  this  simple  connection  with  Christ  of  faith  and 
love.  No  wind  can  blow  wrong.  If  God  but  cares 
for  our  inward  and  eternal  life  ;  if  by  all  the  experi- 
ences of  this  life  He  is  reducing  it  and  preparing 
for  its  disclosure,  nothing  can  befall  us  but  pros- 
perity. Every  sorrow  shall  be  but  the  setting  of 
some  luminous  jewel  of  joy ;  our  very  mourning 
shall  be  but  the  enamel  around  the  diamond ;  our 
very  hardships  but  the  metallic  rim  that  holds  the 
opal,  glowing  with  strange  interior  fires." 

A  German  journal,  devoted  to  Jewish  missions, 
thus  noticed  his  death  : — 


340         MINUTE   OF  GREENWICH  SESSION. 

"  On  April  4  of  this  year  fell  asleep  in  London, 
at  the  age  of  sixty,  the  Presbyterian  preacher, 
Dr.  Aclolph  Saphir,  the  blessed  witness  of  the 
gospel  from  among  the  people  of  Israel,  the 
Christian  writer  full  of  genius,  whose  book,  Christ 
and  the  Scriptures,  won  for  him  numerous  admirers 
in  Germany,  the  warm  friend  of  Jewish  missions 
in  recent  times,  of  the  work  especially  of  Joseph 
Eabinowich,  whose  financial  support  was  chiefly 
dependent  on  him  ;  one  of  the  ripest  fruits  that 
God  has  given  to  the  mission  during  the  present 
century." 

Many  letters  were  written,  expressive  of  deep 
sorrow.  Mr.  Cockburn,  his  aged  and  devoted  friend, 
since  departed,  wrote  : — 

"  It  has  been  a  very  terrible  time.  The  loss  of  my  dear 
friend  and  teacher  and  guide  for  so  many  years  (ever  since  he 
came  to  Greenwich),  is  a  most  sore  calamity,  a  great  gulf  in 
what  remains  to  me  of  life ;  and  to  how  many  more  must  it 
not  be  inexpressible  loss ;  and  what  infinite  good  has  he  not 
done  in  that  life  of  most  earnest  work  in  the  Lord's  service  ! 
Friends  rightly  term  this  sudden  removal  a  translation." 

The  Session  of  Greenwich  drew  up  a  minute  in 
which  it  was  said  : — "  Although  many  years  have 
elapsed  since  the  pastoral  tie  connecting  him  with 
this  congregation  was  severed,  his  name  is  still  a 
household  word,  and  the  memory  of  his  faithful 
ministry  is  imprinted  on  many  a  heart." 

Dr.  Saphir  was  buried  in  Kensal  Green.  The 
selection  of  the  ground,  and  all  the  preparations, 
had  been  made  by  Lady  Grant.     There  was  a  long 


INSCRIPTION   ON   THE   TOMBSTONE.         341 

procession  of  carriages,  witli  mourners  representing 
many  sections  of  the  Church.  The  following  is 
the  inscription  on  the  tombstone  : — 

OP 

THE   REV.   ADOLPH   SAPHIR,    D.D. 

MINISTER   OF   THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   OF   ENGLAND. 

Born  September  26,  1831  :  died  April  4,  1891. 

"  I  determined  not  to  know  anything  among  yon,  save  Jesus  Christ, 
and  Him  crucified." — 1  Cor.  ii.  2. 

AND 

SARA   SAPHIR, 

THE  BELOVED  WIFE  OF  DR.  A.  SAPHIR, 

Bom  May  10,  1826  :  died  March  31,  1891. 

They  "  were  lovely  and  pleasant  in  their  lives,  and  in  their  death  they 
were  not  divided." — 2  Sam.  i.  23. 


342 


CHAPTER   XXYL 

PITHY   SAYINGS  AND   SHORT  EXTRACTS. 

The  Christian's  Walk — What  a  Beautiful  Saviour  I  have — 
The  Devil's  Gospel— Going  to  Heaven — Little  Steps — 
Answers  to  Prayer — The  Bible  and  Nature — The  Penitent 
Thief — God  gives  the  Superfluities — Out  and  Out  Christians 
—False  and  True  Worship — Union  with  Christ — The 
Trinity — Beauty  of  Scripture — Jesus  identifying  Himself 
with  Humanity — Preaching,  what  it  is — Heaven's  In- 
habitants— The  Apostolic  Church — The  C.oss — Aflliction 
and  its  Blessed  Influeuces — Keeping  the  Garments  always 
White — The  Lord's  Supper  and  the  Passover — Assurance 
—God  in  the  Old  Testament — Union  of  Christians — Joy 
precedes  Peace — The  Wonderful,  Tender  Love  of  God — God 
and  Satan — The  Jews — Faith  and  Prayer — Genius  and 
Spirituality — The  Body  not  the  Chief  Centre  of  Sin — The 
Apostles  and  Idolatry— The  Apostles—"  The  World  "— 
Preaching  Christ  according  to  the  Scriptures — "  Except  ye 
become  as  Little  Children." 

WE  give  the  following  selection  of  pitliy  sayings 
and  short  extracts.  Dr.  Saphir  had  special 
power  of  expressing  great  truths  in  a  few  telling 
words,  which  easily  fixed  themselves  on  the  memory, 
and  we  are  sure  that  this  selection  will  be  read 
with  interest.  For  most  of  these  we  are  indebted 
to  the  quotations  and  ample  notes  of  Miss  M.  H. 
Greenwood,  who  wrote  out  in  fall,  in  many  volumes, 
most  of  the  sermons  preached  by  Saphir,  when 
minister  of  Greenwich.     She  has  given  a  graphic 


SINGING    WITH    UNDERSTANDING.  343 

account,  which  we  have  inserted  in  its  place,  of  the 
effect  of  his  preaching  and  ministry  at  Greenwich. 

MATTER   NOT    CARNAL. 

"  Don't  fall  into  the  clumsy  mistake  that  all 
matter  is  carnal.  Matter  is  not  carnal.  All  created 
things  come  from  God,  and  He  also  created  the 
ear,  the  eye,  and  the  receptive  faculties  to  enjoy 
the  beauties  of  His  creation." 

SINGING   WITH   UNDERSTANDING. 

''  The  hymns  we  sing,  how  much  do  you  mean 
of  them  ?  Of  course  you  say  the  words,  because 
they  go  nicely  to  the  tune,  and  that  carries  you 
along. 

'  The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
That  fountain  in  his  day, 
And  there  may  I,  though  vile  as  he, 
Wash  all  my  sins  away.' 

But    I    tell    you    what    you    really    sing    in    your 
hearts — 

'  The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
That  fountain  in  his  day, 
Much  more  may  I,  less  vile  than  he, 
Wash  my  few  sins  away.'  " 

A   SHORT  RULE   FOR  THE    CHRISTIAN'S    WALK. 

Let  your  great  delight  be,  to  be  in  the  company 
of  Jesus,  and  then  do  whatever  you  like. 

''  UNTO  HIM   BE    DOMINION." 

When  the  whole  self  is  dedicated  to  Jesus,  and 
His  love  is  ruling  in  our  hearts,  then  is  His 
dominion  manifested  in  us  ;  if  we  go  on  in  gloom, 


344  '  UNTO   HIM  BE  DOMINION: 

selfishness,  and  unbelief,  where  is  the  dominion  of 
Jesus  ?  If  under  the  dominion  of  Him  who  loveth 
us,  it  would  be  all  sunshine,  patience,  submission, 
surrender  of  our  faculties  to  God.  Dominion  of 
Jesus  means  that  those  under  it  depart  from 
iniquity ;  that  Jesus,  by  the  power  of  His  dying 
love,  be  with  us  as  a  fire  consuming  that  which 
defiles.  Dominion  of  Jesus  means  that  in  God's 
strength  we  are  not  only  to  resist,  but  to  overcome. 
And  now  as  we  come  to  His  table,  may  we  pray  in 
our  hearts,  "  To  this  Jesus  be  glory  and  dominion, 
and  may  the  power  of  His  shed  blood  and  present 
love  be  made  manifest  in  our  lives  ! "  When  His 
glory  and  dominion  shine  into  our  hearts,  and  are 
shown  forth  in  our  lives,  then  do  we  bring  Him 
some  new  thing  in  which  He  rejoices. 

WHAT    A   BEAUTIFUL    SAVIOUR    I    HAVE. 

The  one  who  believes  in  Jesus,  and  loves  Jesus, 
can't  rest  satisfied  till  he  knows  also  about  the 
future  of  this  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.  It  is 
easy  to  speak  about  a  dead  Christ ;  all  so-called 
religion  is  easy  if  we  leave  out  God,  the  livmg  God. 
Can  any  one  earnestly  try  to  realize  God,  without 
flying  to  Jesus  as  their  Eedeemer  and  Shield  ?  If 
Jesus  is  a  reality  to  us,  and  we  believe  that  He  is 
in  heaven  now,  havino-  died  for  us,  and  now  lovino^ 
us,  the  question  at  once  arises.  Is  He  coming  again  ? 
If  the  Second  Advent  is  ignored,  it  is  not  a  doctrine, 
but  Jesus  Himself  that  is  ignored.  When  faith 
rests  on  what  Jesus  has  done,  love  goes  forth  to 


WHAT  IS  THE  LORD'S  DAT?  345 

Jesus  as  He  lives  at  present,  and  the  soul  that  sees 
Him  does  not  say,  ''  1  ought  to  be  religious,"  but 
"  What  a  beautiful  Saviour  I  have  ! " 

WHAT   IS  THE   LORD'S   DAY  ? 

What  do  those  mean  who  are  always  seeking 
amusement  ?  They  mean.  There  is  one  person  in 
the  world  I  hate — that  is  myself.  Divert  me  from 
myself  in  any  way — there  is  no  rest,  no  use,  no 
support  to  lean  upon,  no  repose,  no  certainty. 
The  ungodly  are  Sabbathless ;  there  is  no  rhytlim, 
no  music,  no  harmony,  no  pause  in  their  life  ;  but 
while  we  grieve  to  see  them  going  their  own  way 
on  the  Lord's  Day,  we  can't  give  them  a  command 
to  keep  it,  for  it  is  something  much  higher  and 
more  beautiful.  LorcVs  Day ! — the  day  of  Jehovah 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  day  of  Jesus,  the  glorified 
Son  of  man,  foretaste  and  earnest  of  that  never- 
ending  blessedness  which  we  shall  enjoy  with  Him. 

Reliever  in  Jesus,  don't  you  rise  on  the  Lord's 

Day  a  sinless,  spotless  man  ?     He  died  because  of 

sin,  He  rose   because   of  justification,  and  though 

the  youths  shall  faint  and  be  weary,  and  the  young 

men  shall  utterly  fall,  those   that   wait  upon   the 

Lord   shall   renew   their   strength.      On    this  day 

John   was   in  the    Spirit,   therefore   there    was    no 

doubt,  or  sorrow,  or  grief  with  him.     He  heard  a 

voice  speaking  with  him  ;  he  had   known  Jesus  on 

earth,  and  now  he  fell  at  His  feet  adoring,  as  one 

dead.     The    clay    tenement    could    not    stand   the 

exceeding  brightness   before  him  ;  but  there  is  no 

z 


U(y  THE  DEVIL'S   GOSPEL 


terror  that  can  take  away  the  life  of  a  believer,  no 
glory  can  overwhelm  it ;  and  so  John  lived  on, 
because  he  felt  the  beloved  hand  of  Jesus  resting 
upon  him.  How^  well  he  knew  that  pierced  hand  ! 
Do  i/ou  know  it  ?  And  Jesus  said  as  Jehovah 
always  has  said  to  His  people,  "  Fear  not.''  Why  ? 
"  Because  /  am  Jesus."  The  world  says,  What 
do  you  believe  ?  No  tvhat  at  all :  tvhom  do  you 
believe  ?  And  if  you  can  answer,  "  I  trust  Jesus," 
that's  all. 

THE    devil's   gospel. 

"Don't  believe  the  devil's  gospel,  which  is  a 
chance  of  salvation  ;  chance  of  salvation  is  chance 
of  damnation.  Is  God's  love  a  love  that  will 
meet  you  when  you  die  ?  Is  it  a  love  that  is 
waiting  for  yoic  to  do  a  number  of  things  before  it 
receives  and  embraces  you  ?  JSfo ;  it  is  love  for  all 
eternity,  which  reached  us  when  Jesus  died  upon 
the  cross ;  love  that  you  have  Ijut  to  receive,  and 
you  are  sealed  with  this  Holy  Spirit  of  promise, 
who  is  to  be  with  you — keeping,  assuring,  sealing, 
training,  comforting,  enabling  you  to  live  to  the 
glory  of  God.  The  seal  has  two  as2:)ects — inside, 
'  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  His  ' — outside, 
'  Let  every  one  that  nametli  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  iniquity.'  You  are  black,  but  comely  ; 
poor,  but  Jesus  is  your  riches  ;  weak,  but  Jesus  is 
your  strength.  There  is  a  secret  acquaintance 
between  God  and  you,  and  when  you  are  gathered 
in  with  the  blessed  people  of  the  Lord,  Jesus  will 


CWING   TO   HEAVEN.  347 


not  say,  "'  I  never  knew  you,'  for  even  before  His 
name  was  as  music  and  fragrance  to  you.  He 
knew  you,  quickened  you  ;  it  may  be  like  the  little 
maid,  amiable  and  beautiful  to  man,  but  dead ;  or 
like  the  young  man  whom  they  were  carrying  to 
his  burial  ;  or  like  Lazarus,  offensive  even  to  man, 
steeped  in  sin.  Jesus  can  say,  '  I  quickened  you,' 
calling  you  by  name.  '  I  knew  you  in  doubt,  cheer- 
ing yoa  in  sorrow,  comforting  and  confirming  you, 
as  with  the  two  disciples  on  their  way  to  Emmaus.' 
"  This  seal  is  the  earnest  of  the  inheritance,  a 
part  of  it,  as  an  assurance  of  the  whole.  All  other 
religions  are  like  false  bank-notes,  issued  on  a  bank 
that  will  never  pay  them  ;  but  the  promises  God 
gives  are  not  paper,  but  substance T 

GOING   TO    HEAVEN. 

"  Does  one  ask,  Are  you  going  to  heaven  ?  I 
am  gone  there.  What  is  heaven  ?  Fellowship  with 
God  1  I  have  it  already.  Peace  in  Christ  ?  Access 
into  the  holiest  ?  Love  to  all  that  love  Jesus  ? 
These  I  have  already,  truly  not  yet  ia  full  measure  ; 
but  he  that  belie veth  hath,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
us  is  the  earnest. 

"  In  heaven  we  shall  see  the  Lord  Jesus  exalted 
on  His  throne.  The  Spirit  reveals  Him  now  to  the 
eyes  of  our  ftiitli  as  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne. 

"  Can  sin  enter  there  ?  Can  the  accusations  of 
the  devil  enter  there  ?  AVill  you  be  in  peace  and 
safety  there  ?     Will  you   be  afraid  of  ever  falling 


348  LITTLE  STEPS. 

out  again  when  you  are  there  ?  Jesus  says,  They 
must  have  a  little  of  all  this  now  ;  they  must  have 
it  in  substance,  though  not  in  degree.  Is  it  not 
written,  '  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us '  ? 

"  Won't  we  be  sti^ong  when  we  get  there  ?  Won't 
we  serve  Him,  and  not  spoil  it  as  we  do  now  ? 
The  Holy  Spirit  is  given  that  we  may  do  our  daily 
business  for  Jesus,  and  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God 
our  Saviour  in  all  things.  Beholding  Jesus  is 
heaven.  Ferfect  peace  in  Jesus  is  heaven. 
Serving  God  out  of  love  is  heaven.  Have  you 
not   got  it  all   now,  dear   believer,  by  the  Holy 

Ghost  r' 

LITTLE    STEPS. 

"  If  you  will  be  simple,  God  will  take  little  steps 
with  you.  It  is  wonderful,  when  a  sinner  comes  to 
himself,  all  in  himself  is  uneasy  and  wretchedness ; 
but  deeper  than  himself  will  he  find  the  everlasting- 
arms  ;  and  if  he  digs  very  deep,  he  will  find  the 
mercy  of  God  compassing  him  about." 

ANSWERS   TO    PRAYER. 

The  prayers  of  the  Bible  are  not  notions  in 
grand  phraseology,  but  the  prayers  of  men  who 
spoke  straightforward  from  the  heart,  in  simple 
language,  unto  God ;  the  more  simple  the  better. 
God  answers  in  difi*erent  ways ;  it  need  not  be  in 
the  way  we  expect.  We  pray  that  He  would  re- 
move a  difliculty,  God  answers  by  giving  more 
strength  to  bear  it ;  we  pray  to  have  a  temptation 


THE   BIBLE  AND   NATURE.  340 


removed,  God  answers  by  increasing  our  purity 
of  heart,  so  that  it  ceases  to  be  a  temptation.  God 
sometimes  hears  while  we  are  speaking,  as  with 
Daniel,  and  sometimes  He  defers  the  answer.  There 
is  a  beautiful  saying  in  the  ancient  Church,  "  If 
Stephen  had  not  prayed,  Paul  would  never  have 
preached."  Thus  our  faith  is  a  great  reality  not 
merely  over  the  world,  but  a  great  reality  with 
God.  Simeon  prayed  all  his  lifetime,  but  it  was 
only  at  the  end  of  his  days  that  the  ''  Amen " 
came. 

THE    BIBLE   AND    NATURE. 

There  is  no  book  in  the  whole  world  that  has 
such  a  tender  affection  for  nature  as  the  Bible. 
God  loves  His  works.  He  knows  they  are  very 
good,  created  by  His  dear  Son,  perfected,  brought 
into  living  beauty  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
He  knows  what  depth  of  thought  He  has  put  into 
them,  that  hidden  thought  of  love,  which  was  from 
all  eternity  :  so  that  the  heavens  and  earth,  the 
trees  and  fields,  all  that  we  see  around  us,  is  illus- 
trative of  some  eternal  and  heavenly  truth,  and 
therefore  w^e  are  often  told  in  Scripture  to  look 
around  and  above  us,  that  we  may  find  out  the 
hidden  depths  of  God's  love  in  the  w^orks  of 
creation. 

THE    PENITENT   THIEF. 

People  say  he  was  saved ;  but  he  will  have  a 
starless  crown.  I  don't  believe  there  is  a  minister 
of  God  who  will  have  so  many  stars  in  his  crown 


850  GOD    GIVES   THE  SUPERFLUITIES. 


as  this  penitent  thief,  or  who  has  been  the  means  of 
saving  so  many  souls  as  the  history  of  this  man's 
repentance  and  foith.  How  many  from  the  depths 
of  crime,  encouraged  by  reading  this  history,  have 
gone  to  the  scaffold  to  suffer  the  penalty  of  their 
deeds  trusting  in  Jesus,  and  who  shall  be  numbered 
witli  His  saints  in  the  glory  everlasting ! 

GOD    GIVES    THE    SUPERFLUITIES. 

This  is  not  a  case  of  people  starving,  as  when  in 
the  wilderness  Jesus  fed  them,  or  of  disease  and 
suffering;  when  He  in  love  delivered  them  from  it. 
This  was  simply  a  superfluity,  a  luxury  ;  they  had 
no  wine,  and  what  does  this  mean  ? — for  it  is  a 
sign,  and  must  signify  something.  That  God 
created  man  not  merely  that  he  should  endure 
existence,  that  he  should  drag  through  life,  but 
that  he  should  rejoice ;  that  there  should  be  a 
happiness,  a  festivity,  a  gladness  within  him  ;  not 
only  that  he  should  be  reconciled  to  his  existence 
and  have  what  is  needful,  but  that  he  should  feel 
within  him  a  music,  a  rliythm  ;  that  he  should  be 
able  to  say,  It  is  a  joy  to  live,  He  hatli  crowned 
me  with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies.  So 
that  in  one  sense  the  world  is  not  wrong  when  it 
seeks  for  the  ornamental  and  the  beautiful ;  it  is 
an  instinct  of  what  is  true,  that  God  created  us  for 
brightness  and  glory. 

OUT    AND    OUT    CHRISTIANS. 

We  must  be  out  and  out  Christians,  unmistak- 
able Christians.     We  are  bidden  to  be  strong,  and 


rXloX    WITH   CHUJST,  351 


ought  to  be,  if  the  Spirit  is  the  oil  of  gladness,  if 
Jesus  is  the  chief  among  ten  thousand,  if  God  is 
the  CTod  of  all  grace,  and  Father  of  consolation. 
Dear  friends,  either  the  world  is  mad,  or  we  are 
mad.  Tlio  trutli  of  the  riospel  is  light  that  comes 
down  in  lore. 

FALSE    AND    TRUE    WORSHIP. 

The  difference  1:)etween  false  and  true  worship  is, 
that  false  worship  aims  at  forgiveness,  true  worship 
begins  with  forgiveness  of  sin.  In  false  worshij) 
there  is  no  thanksgiving ;  true  worship  gives 
thanks  for  full  remission,  begins  with  praise,  with 
Abba  Father. 

UNION   WITH    CHRIST. 

There  is  a  wonderful  peace  and  calmness  in  a 
union  which  is  not  to  be  severed.  For  ever,  Christ 
is  ours.  Here  all  is  perfect.  The  whole  Christ  is 
ours — what  He  lived,  what  He  suffered,  what  He 
is  now,  and  what  He  will  be.  His  past  and  His 
future  is  all  ours  !  And  because  we  have  this  per- 
fection in  Christ,  we  press  towards  the  mark,  and 
take  more  freely  out  of  His  fullness.  My  Beloved  is 
mine.  In  this  we  rest ;  in  this  we  walk.  It  is  not 
now  six  days'  work  and  seventh  day  rest.  God  says, 
the  first  thing  you  must  do  is  to  rest  in  Himself ; 
and  when  one  rests  in  Jesus,  then  we  work  for 
Jesus ;  when  we  rest  in  faith,  we  Jive  hy  faith  ; 
when  we  rest  in  love,  we  walh  in  love.  Every  one 
has  a  ojod.  Something  everv  heart  is  lovino;  •  if 
not  Jesus,  none  can  rest.      Rest  then   in   Jesus, 


352  THE   TRINITY. 


who  is  God's  Beloved ;  and  when  you  see  Him  at 
Bethlehem,  in  Gethsemane,  on  the  Cross,  and  in 
heaven  interceding  for  you,  then  can  you  say, 
"  My  Beloved  is  mine." 

THE   TRINITY. 

Only  in  a  triune  God,  is  perfect  atonement  and 
reconciliation.  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the 
w^orld  to  Himself.  By  the  Holy  Ghost,  Christ  and 
the  Church  arc  one  :  He  is  in  them,  and  they  are 
inseparable  from  Him  in  life  and  death,  in  time  and 
eternity.  Thus  the  Church  was  to  baptize  into  the 
name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  In 
the  very  commencement  of  Genesis  we  are  taught 
that  God,  who  created  all  things,  created  all  things 
by  the  Word,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters.  The  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  is  the  great  stumbling-block,  to  modern 
Jews ;  and  yet,  as  is  shown,  the  testimony  of 
Jewish  writings  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is 
not  inconsiderable.  They  derived  it  from  the  Old 
Testament,  and  many  of  them  believed  that  the 
Messiah  was  to  be  truly  God — though  not  the 
Father.  In  the  Church  there  is  to  be  obedience 
to  the  Divine  law.  It  consists  in  a  Divine  love, 
it  proceeds  from  the  reception  of  redeeming  love, 
it  is  formed  after  a  Divine  pattern,  and  it  is  shed 
abroad  and  kept  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

BEAUTY    OF   SCRIPTURE. 

Luther   has   said   that    when   he   looks  at  any 
Scripture  passage  he  finds  it  so  full  of  beauty  and 


JESUS  IDENTIFIED    WITH   HUMANITY.      353 

instruction,  that  it  appears  to  him  that  every  daisy 
becomes  a  whole  meadow.  And  indeed  it  is  so. 
Every  narrative  about  Christ,  every  doctrine  about 
God,  every  promise  given  to  the  children  of  the 
Most  High,  is  inexhaustible  in  the  depth  of  its 
meaning  and  its  consolation  ;  every  tree  as  we  look 
at  it  becomes  a  whole  forest. 

JESUS  identifyinct  himself  with  humanity. 

Jesus  became  man  to  remain  man  for  evermore  ; 
and  when  Jesus  was  living  on  earth  His  great 
object,  the  great  task  set  before  Him,  was  to  get 
back  again  where  He  was  before.  He  had  left  His 
position,  never  again  to  have  it  as  He  had  it  before, 
never  again  to  divest  Himself  of  His  humanity. 
He  had,  as  it  were,  cut  off  the  bridge  behind  Him, 
by  identifying  Himself  with  our  nature,  with  all  our 
load  of  sin,  on  the  Cross.  Christ's  object  was  to 
bring  humanity  not  back  to  where  it  was  originally, 
but  where  it  never  was  before ;  and  as  He  came 
nearer  to  the  great  channel  where  He  had  to  pass. 
He  prayed  God  to  glorify  Him  as  He  had  glorified 
Him  before.  It  was  necessary  that  Jesus,  to  be- 
come the  beginner  of  a  great  multitude  of  people, 
should  be  glorified,  and  on  the  cross  He  was  glori- 
fied. Because  He  died  and  rose  again.  He  could 
take  His  place  on  high,  as  the  first-born  of  many 
brethren,  as  the  Saviour  of  His  people.  Jesus 
knew  that  through  suffering  alone  could  He  get 
back  again  into  that  glory,  which  He  had  with  the 
Father  before  the  world  was. 


354  PREACHING,    WHAT  IT  IS. 


PREACHING,    WHAT   IT    IS. 

The  preaching  of  the  gospel,  however  legitimately 
allied  to  natural  and  mental  acquirements,  must 
always  retain  the  mark  of  crucifixion.  It  does  not 
become  us  to  be  orators.  There  is  an  element  in 
human  eloquence,  which  is  not  according  to  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  Preaching  is  more  than  an 
exposition  of  Scripture;  it  is  a  reproduction  of 
Scri'i^ture.  It  is  the  Word  of  God,  and  it  is  in- 
spired, though  not  as  the  Scriptures, — in  which 
there  is  no  admixture  of  sin  and  error,  and  which 
remains  always  the  standard  by  which  even  apos- 
tolic preaching  is  judged  (Acts  xvii.  11).  The 
gospel  is  preached  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down 
from  heaven.  It  brings  light,  it  produces  faith. 
What  the  preacher  describes,  the  Holy  Ghost 
reveals  and  bestows  upon  the  hearer. 

heaven's  inhabitants. 

Jesus  is  in  heaven  as  a  Man  that  can  he  seen 
in  God  ;  the  Father  is  represented  in  Jesus.  The 
angels  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect  are 
also  in  heaven  ;  when  we  draw  near  in  prayer,  we 
behold  also  the  dead  saints  who  have  fallen  asleep 
in  Jesus,  for  the  dead  also  are  linked  to  Jesus.  We 
have  no  description  of  their  place  or  condition  ;  but 
this  we  know,  that  they  praise  and  adore  God  ; 
they  are  near  to  heaven,  and  whatever  mysterious 
mission  is  assigned  to  them,  it  is  theirs  to  offer 
unto  God. 


THE   APOSTOLIC   CHURCIL  355 


THE    APOSTOLIC    CHURCH. 

The  history  of  the  Apostolic  Church  is  the  guide- 
book of  the  Church  in  every  age — a  Church  full  of  joy 
and  peace — the  home  of  Love.  Full  of  spirituality, 
and  yet  with  the  combination  of  liberty  and  order, 
all  gifts  were  encouraged.  The  first  great  object  of 
the  Church  is  worship.  The  spirit  of  worship  ought 
to  manifest  itself  in  all  things  connected  with  our 
assemblies.  It  is  from  worship,  from  communion 
with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  that  the  congregation 
is  to  o'o  forth  into  the  life  of  the  week.  The  Church, 
renewed  every  Lord's  Day  in  her  resurrection-life, 
will  then,  durins;  the  week,  live  and  work  for  the 
Master. 

THE    CROSS. 

Without  the  Cross  there  is  no  Christ.  The  Lord 
is  called  Messiah,  Anointed,  because  He  is  the  true, 
perfect,  and  all-sufficient  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King. 
In  this  threefold  office,  Christ  is  the  only  Mediator 
between  God  and  man  ;  in  this  threefold  office  He 
brings  light,  love,  and  life  to  our  hearts.  These 
three  offices  comprise  His  mediatorial  work.  They 
are  inseparably  connected  one  with  another,  and 
they  all  culminate  in  the  Cross.  His  whole  earthly 
life  was  a  preparation  for  this  Priesthood.  It  was 
on  the  Cross  that  He  offered  Himself  a  Sacrifice  to 
God.  He  entered  into  the  Holy  of  Holies  by  virtue 
of  the  Blood  which  He  shed  upon  the  Cross.  Our 
Lord  was  continually  looking  forward  to  His  death. 
While  other  men  look  upon  death  as  the  limit  and 


356     BLESSED  INFLUENCES   OF  AFFLICTION. 


termination  of  their  work,  Jesus  regards  His  death 
as  His  great,  His  all-glorious  work,  the  source  and 
commencement  of  His  true  and  eternal  influence. 

AFFLICTION   AND   ITS   BLESSED   INFLUENCES. 

Affliction  is  a  school,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
Teacher. 

First,  the  full  use  of  affliction  is  to  make  a  man 
examine  himself  before  God,  and  in  doing  so 
David  found  not  only  his  sin  but  his  sincerity. 
His  heart  was  loyal  to  God,  and  though  His  gifts 
were  withdrawn,  the  Giver  was  still  beloved. 
Secondly,  affliction  gave  David  a  strong  heart. 
There  is  a  paradox.  Who  hns  a  strong  heart 
but  he  who  has  a  broken  heart,  who  loathes 
himself,  and  whose  strength  and  joy  is  in  the  Lord 
of  Hosts  ?  Thirdly,  affliction  developed  the  meek- 
ness of  David.  There  was  only  One  who  needed 
no  trials  to  humble  Him  in  the  sight  of  God ;  and 
when  John  saw  Him  coming,  a  hero  from  the  fight, 
he  saw  Him  as  the  Lamb.  Fourthly,  affliction 
taught  David  patience.  What  is  patience  ?  It  is 
not  imiifference  ;  it  is  not  insensibility ;  it  is  the 
standing  erect  of  a  strong,  sensitive  soul,  under 
the  burden  which  God  sends.  It  is  to  see  the 
hand  of  God  and  kiss  it.  It  is  the  exercise  of 
faith,  never  doubting  the  goodness  of  God.  In  this 
patience  there  is  lioioe.  There  are  many  standards 
of  suffering.  First,  I  must  suffer.  Secondly,  I 
am  willing  to  suffer.  Thirdly,  I  can  suffer,  God 
strengthening    me.      Fourthly,    I    am    privileged 


KEEPING   GARMENTS   ALWAYS    WHITE.     35' 


to  suffer.  I  glory  in  tribulation.  "  Tribulation 
worketh  patience ;  and  patience,  experience ;  and 
experience,  hope  :  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed." 
Affliction  worked  in  David,  humility,  contrition, 
strength,  meekness,  patience. 

KEEPING   THE    GARMENTS    ALWAYS    WHITE. 

God  always  told  the  Jews  that  they  polluted 
themselves,  by  coming  into  contact  with  the  idols 
of  the  heathen  nations.  What  are  idols  to  us 
now  ?  The  religious  opinion  of  the  world,  the  false 
doctrine  of  the  world,  relying  on  outward  things, 
the  standard  and  the  custom  of  the  world,  the 
sinful  practices  of  those  around  us  ;  we  must  live 
in  the  world,  but  Jesus  prays,  "  keep  them  from 
the  evil."  Christians  must  keep  themselves  "un- 
spotted from  the  world,"  and  this  can  only  be  done 
in  a  twofold  way ;  firstly,  by  not  touching  the 
defiling  things,  abstaining  from  them;  and  secondly, 
when  they  touch  you,  by  immediately  resisting 
them.  The  command  is  to  keep  our  garments 
always  w^iitc.  White  is  the  brightest,  most 
sensitive  colour,  shows  most  quickly  and  distinctly 
any  touch  and  soil.  We  must  have  a  high 
standard — pure,  even  as  Christ  is  pure ;  not  clean 
only,  but  ivhite ;  this  signifies  the  perfection  of 
the  Lord  Jesus, — always,  not  occasionally,  but 
alivays.  Do  you  ask,  if  there  are  such  sources  of 
defilement  within  and  around  us,  how  is  this 
possible  ?  Answ'er :  We  must  ahvays  he  ivashing 
them.     This  is  the  only  wuv,  continuallv  ooino-  to 


358  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Jesus,  and  asking  Him,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  to  apply  to  our  heart  the  power  as  well  as 
the  merits  of  His  all-sufficient  atonement.  This 
implies  sensitiveness.  The  experience  of  the 
Christian  must  always  be  that  he  becomes  more 
alive  to  the  impurity  of  the  world,  within  aod 
around  him. 

THE  lord's  supper  AND  THE  PASSOVER. 

The  institution  is  mentioned  in  the  three  first 
gospels,  but  not  in  John.  It  is  omitted  there  for 
three  reasons,  but  chiefly  because  throughout  John, 
more  than  any  other  part  of  the  New  Testament, 
the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  dwelt 
upon.  Jesus  is  spoken  of  as  the  Bread  of  Life  and 
the  Water  of  Life.  It  is  extraordinary  that  this 
ordinance,  so  simple  in  itself,  has  been  so  misunder- 
stood. Jesus  gave  it  as  a  plain  explanation  of 
something  more  difficult,  and  instead,  it  has  been 
made  a  mystery.  The  Romish  Church  has  made  it 
a  sacrifice,  while  the  sacrifice  has  been  once  made 
for  ever.  But,  what  is  still  more  wonderful, 
people  have  made  it  a  cause  of  discord  and 
separation  ;  while  it  is  intended  as  a  feast  of  love 
and  union.  People  will  hear  the  Word  preached, 
join  in  prayer,  and  yet  not  break  the  bread  and 
drink  the  wine  together,  which  shows  that  they 
do  not  see  that  it  is  the  Lord's  table,  and  not 
the  Presbyterian,  Episcopal,  Independent,  Baptist 
table ;  and  while  they  are  meeting  together,  they 
arc  all  the  time  spiritually  partaking  of  the  Lord's 


THE  PASSOVER.  359 


JSupper,  by  leediDg  upon  Jesus  in  their  hearts  by 
faith.  It  is  often  celebrated  unlike  a  supper, 
people  going  few  at  a  time,  kneeling  at  an  altar. 
Altars  should  be  done  away  with.  There  is  no 
priest  but  One,  God's  High  Priest,  entered  into  the 
heavens  for  us,  except  in  the  sense  of  Kevelation  i.  6. 
The  true  idea  is  that  of  a  supper,  a  family  brother- 
hood uathered  tooether.  with  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
Headj  presiding  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
It  is  also  clearly  connected  wdth  the  Passover,  thus 
linking  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  "  With 
desire,  have  I  desired  to  eat  this  jt^assorer  with 
you."  The  Passover  was  a  united  family  festival, 
where  the  father  presided,  and  at  a  certain  part  of 
the  feast,  the  youngest  asked  the  meaning  of  it  all, 
and  the  story  of  God's  love  and  mercy  was  given. 
Luke  xxii.  16th  relates  to  the  rejoicing  before 
the  God  of  Israel  as  a  united  f^imily  when  they 
are  restored,  and  the  20th  verse  to  the  cup  of 
benediction.  "  This  is  the  New  Testament  in  My 
blood."  Jesus  wished  to  assure  them  that  though 
He  was  going  to  ascend  into  heaven,  yet  He  was 
still  to  be  their  Head,  and  the  real  presence  they 
would  still  have,  though  He  was  to  be  in  glory. 
And  to  assure  their  hearts  that  He,  their  Master, 
w^as  still  present  with  them,  they  were  to  break 
bread  and  drink  wine  in  remembrance  of  Him. 

ASSURANCE. 

There  come  times  when  all  your  past  experience 
seems  taken  away  from  you.    You  can't  remember  ; 


360  ASSURANCE. 


at  least  you  can't  appropriate,  you  can't  realize  it. 
It  is  as  though  we  had  never  ate  and  drank  of 
what  Christ  gives  us.  We  have  no  joy  with  which 
to  rejoice.  This  also  is  an  experience,  through 
which  all  God's  people  have  come.  This  is  the 
wonderful  thing  in  the  Prophets  and  Psalms.  God 
does  not  put  before  us  the  image  of  His  saints  as 
they  ought  to  be,  but  as  they  were — all  their 
tears  and  failings  and  complaints  and  feelings  of 
desertion  and  groanings. 

I  fear  many  things  are  said  of  assurance  that 
never  ought  to  have  been  said.  It  is  very  difficult 
to  speak  of  assurance,  so  as  not  to  distress  the 
truly  godly,  and  not  to  puff  up  those  who  think 
they  are  rich  and  have  need  of  nothing.  The  Lord 
will  satisfy  the  hungry ;  He  will  raise  up  those 
that  are  bowed  down ;  He  will  feed  them  just 
because  they  are  hungry ;  He  will  strengthen 
them,  just  because  they  are  weak. 

After  Jacob  had  gained  the  victory  over  Jehovah 
and  been  called  Israel,  how  did  he  go  on  all  his 
life  '^  Not  as  a  hero  triumphant,  but  he  went 
halting.  Many  would  like  always  to  be  singing 
*'  Hallelujah  ! "  to  have  entered  already  the  land  of 
promise  and  glory,  to  put  aside  the  weapons  of 
their  conflict.  So  was  it  not  with  the  old  saints. 
Don't  you  be  discouraged  when  you  are  weak, 
when  you  cry  out  of  the  depths  in  your  helpless- 
ness, when  you  experience  that  there  is  another  law 
within  you,  striving  against  the  Spirit  of  life  within. 
The  Lord  is  revealing  to  you  your  weakness  and 


GOD    TX   THE   OLD    TESTAMENT.  sni 


nothingness.  Jesus  is  cleansing  and  sanctifying  and 
comforting  and  strengthening  you.  He  is  saying 
iifresh  to  you  to-day,  "  Tuy  sins  are  forgiven  thee." 

GOD    IX    THE    OLD    TESTAMENT. 

In  the  character  of  God,  as  described  by  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  there  are  two  elements  \Yhich  it 
is  difficult  to  combine — that  God  loves  the  sinner, 
and  God  ahhors  evil.  God  is  justice,  holiness,  and 
truth.  At  the  same  time  He  is  infinite  tenderness, 
mercy,  and  compassion.  It  is  difficult  to  know 
which  element  is  brouo;ht  out  most  stronrfy  in  the 
Old  Testament.  Where  will  you  find  such  ex- 
pressions as  you  find  in  Moses,  the  Psalms,  and 
Prophets,  about  the  tenderness  of  God,  (if  I  may 
so  speak,)  the  sufi*erings  of  God  ?  "  You  have 
ivearied  Me  with  your  transgressions."  ''  How 
shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim  ?"  ''Oh,  that  My 
people  had  hearkened  unto  Me,  I  should  soon  have 
subdued  their  enemies,"  &c.  And  the  same  tender- 
ness and  compassion  which  is  manifested  in  Jesus, 
is  also  in  Jehovah,  Jesus  sighs  and  weeps  over 
the  ravao'es  of  sin,  and  over  human  sufterinsf.  It 
is  what  Jehovah  does  in  the  Old  Testament.  If 
the  holiness  and  compassion  of  God  are  to  be 
reconciled,  it  is  evident  that  the  sword  must  fall 
upon  some  one,  and  how  wonderful  it  is,  when  we 
see  in  Jesus,  God  and  man,  the  love  and  holiness 
of  the  Father,  the  tenderness  and  compassion  of 
the  Father — unite,  and  in  our  nature,  for  our 
good,  in  our  stead. 

A  A 


362  UNION  OF   CHRISTIANS. 

UNION    OF   CHRISTIANS. 

The  union  of  Christians  is  marred  not  by  giving 
too  much  importance  to  little  things,  but  by  not 
keeping  sufficiently  prominent'  the  great  things. 
Did  it  ever  strike  you  that  the  early  Christians 
also  diflfered  on  minor  points,  for  which  now-a-days 
it  would  be  thought  quite  necessary  to  make  a  new 
sect  ?  but  they  were  so  absorbed  in  thinking  that 
they  knew  God  as  their  Father,  that  Jesus  was 
their  Saviour,  that  they  were  possessors  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  nothing  could  separate  them. 
Thus  it  is  that  when  we  go  to  a  meeting  where 
Christians  meet  as  Christia7is,  we  feel  as  if  we  lost 
our  asthma,  we  can  breathe. 

Christianity  without  Christ  does  not  exist. 
There  is  nothing  in  it,  except  as  you  connect  it 
with  the  living,  risen  One  in  heaven. 

JOY    PRECEDES    PEACE. 

The  first  thing  that  God  gives  us  is  joy,  and 
then  out  of  this  joy  comes  calmness,  fortitude, 
equanimity.  Paul  says,  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
and  again,  rejoice" — and  then  afterwards,  "Be 
careful  for  nothing."  It  is  perfectly  correct  that 
we  have  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  but  joy  comes 
first.  How  can  I  be  in  peace,  and  calm,  and  quiet, 
in  the  midst  of  all  that  disturbs  me,  unless  I  know 
that  I  have  something  much  better,  and  more 
glorious  ;  unless  I  know  that  I  have  found  the  pearl 
of  great  price,  that  I  possess  a  better  country,  that 
is  a  heavenly  ? 


THE    WONDERFUL    LOVE  OF   GOD.  308 

When  we  first  believe  in  Jesus,  joy  fills  our 
hearts  ;  we  are  delighted,  astonished  ; — how  beauti- 
ful, we  say.  Then  comes  peace.  God  will  console, 
will  keep,  will  strengthen ;  and  in  all  after  diffi- 
culties it  is  the  same.  Let  the  joy  of  God  fill  our 
hearts,  and  we  are  at  peace.  Therefore  the  only 
ordinance  that  is  of  continual  recurrence  in  the 
church  is  festival,  not  fast,  so  that  in  the  w^ilderness 
we  sing  praises  and  give  thanks,  because  all  is  of 
grace.  God  is  indeed  our  portion  ;  but  it  requires 
faith  to  rejoice  in  God.  If  we  can  in  any  wise 
take  hold  of  this,  *'  God  is  mine  " — only  think  of 
it ! — then  surely  we  shall  rejoice. 

THE    WONDERFUL    TENDER    LOVE    OF    GOD. 

Let  me  ask  you,  Have  you  ever  thought  of 
this  wonderful,  tender  love  of  God  ?  God  has  to 
be  so  gentle  and  tender  with  us,  to  put  away 
everything  that  can  ruffle  our  hearts  or  minds, 
to  speak  to  us  as  it  were  with  hushed  breath,  to 
have  the  tenderness  of  a  nurse  dealing  with  the 
jDCevishness  of  a  little  child.  He  touches  us  with 
the  delicacy  and  tenderness  with  which  you  would 
touch  one,  covered  with  wounds  and  sores.  God 
invites  us  so  simply  ;  just  asks  us  to  turn  round  to 
Him,  as  if  He  existed  for  us.  Can  any  one  say 
to  God,  "  True,  you  invited  me,  but  in  such  a  way 
that  it  hurt  me.  I  knew  you  would  receive  me, 
but  I  thought  it  would  be  with  fault-finding "  ? 
Can  any  one  say  that  ?  It  is  wonderful  how  God 
says  to  us,  "  Only  come  to  Me,  only  turn  to  Me, 


364  GOD   AA'D   SATAN, 


only  give  Me  a  look,"  and  if  we  look  unto  Him 
He  receives  us. 

The  Kock  of  Ages,  Jesus,  is  not  of  yesterday ; 
His  goings  forth  were  of  old.  "  Before  Abraham 
was,  1  am."  By  Him  the  world  was  created,  and 
before  creation  the  Eternal  Wisdom  was  with  th(^ 
Father,  and  was  His  delight.  Older  than  time, 
stretching  back  into  eternity,  ''  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
same,  yesterday,  to-day  and  for  ever." 

In  the  Eternal  Counsel  of  God,  before  the 
foundations  of  the  world  were  laid,  He  was  the 
Lover  of  mankind,  and  in  the  fullness  of  time  He 
went  forth,  full  of  compassion,  and  died  npon  the 
cross  for  sinners,  that  He  might  give  eternal  life  to 
all  the  poor  and  needy  that  put  their  trust  in  Him. 

GOD    AND    SATAN. 

God  draws ;  Satan  only  tempts.  All  the  evil 
influences  which  prevent  our  approach  to  God  do 
not  deserve  to  Ix'  compared  with  the  attractive 
power  of  God.  1  dare  not  speak  lightly  of  the 
innate  love  of  sin  and  the  world,  or  of  the  tendency 
of  fallen  human  hearts  to  gravitate  to  the  earth, 
or  of  the  force  of  habit,  or  of  the  fascination  of  that 
enchanted  ground,  this  present  age,  which  lulls 
us  to  sleep,  or  of  the  subtlety  and  power  of  Satan. 
No ;  these  are  great  and  potent  influences,  but 
nothing  when  contrasted  with  God.  Satan,  and  all 
evil  under  and  with  him,  cannot  prevail.  Satan  is 
puwerful,  but  not  omnipotent;  he  is  cunning,  but 
neither    omniscient   nor   wise.       He    has   an    ally 


GOD   AND   SATAN.  365 

within  us,  even  sin;  but  he  has  never  yet  under- 
stood  a  human  heart.  God  alone  can  search  the 
heart ;  He  ah)ne  can  draw  it,  can  open,  can  melt, 
can  fill  it.  Satan  has  no  right,  no  claim  on  me,  on 
my  nature,  on  my  will,  on  my  affections.  How- 
ever wicked  and  polluted  a  human  being  may 
be,  it  is  not  his  nature  to  be  evil.  And  though 
he  be  so  deo'raded  as  to  feed  the  swine  in  the  far 
country,  that  dark  citizen  has  no  real  claim  on 
him,  and  no  true  affinity  with  him.  Man's  heart 
was  created  for  the  love  of  God,  and  will  only  be 
happy  there.  The  eye  of .  His  soul  was  made  to 
behold  the  sun,  and  to  rejoice  in  the  light.  And 
fallen  though  he  be,  his  very  mercy  proves  his 
original  grandeur.  Let  us  remember  that  God 
created  man  in  His  imao^e.  Let  us  never  foro;et 
that  at  the  right  hand  of  God  is  the  Man  Christ 
Jesus.  Let  us  behold  ourselves  not  in  the  wreck 
and  ruin  of  our  fallen  condition,  not  in  the  mirror 
of  the  world  and  of  Satan,  but  in  the  mirror 
of  the  hope  of  the  resurrection,  when  the  purpose 
of  God  will  be  fulfilled  in  us,  and  we  shall  be  con- 
formed to  the  imag-e  of  His  Son.  When  the  trans- 
forming  power  of  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  shall 
be  made  manifest  on  the  resurrection  morn,  then 
shall  arise,  with  transfigured  and  spiritual  bodies, 
true  human  beings  full  of  love  and  truth,  without 
a  single  spot,  blemish,  or  wrinkle,  holy  ond  pure, 
like  Christ.  If  it  be  so,  look  upon  evil  as  judged, 
condemned,  and  slain ;  upon  Satan  as  bound  and 
cast   out.     He  cannot    draw,  he  cannot  reach   the 


366  THE  JEWS. 


iamost  depths  of  yourself;  he  has  no  right  over 
you ;  he  has  no  power  except  the  power  you  give 
him.  Only  resist ;  only  show  your  face  as  conscious 
of  your  Divine  origin  ;  only  adore  God,  and  Satan, 
powerless  and  abashed,  will  flee  from  you.  There 
is  no  real  connection  between  us  and  Satan. 

Ah  !  how  different  it  is  with  God  !  He  is  the 
Magnet.  We  are  His  offspring.  He  is  able  to 
dtvell  m  us,  and  to  make  us  dwell  in  Him.  He 
draws  with  an  irresistible  power,  and  yet  He  does 
not  force  or  compel  us ;  He  sets  us  free  when  His 
love  subdues  our  heart.  He  restores  us  when  He 
takes  possession  of  our  souls.  He  is  our  rightful 
Lord ;  He  alone  is  the  King  whose  it  is  to  rule, 
and  His  rule  is  love. 

THE   JEWS. 

There  is  a  Book  different  from  all  other  books. 
There  is  a  nation  different  from  all  other  nations. 
There  is  a  Man  different  from  all  other  men. 

There  are  about  seven  millions  of  Jews  existinof 
at  the  present  time.  That  they  are  the  descendants 
of  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  is  beyond  all 
doubt  and  question.  Other  nations  have  passed 
away.  Though  speaking  the  various  languages  of 
the  world,  and  accommodating  themselves  to  the 
various  usages  and  customs  of  the  nations  among 
w^hom  they  live,  they  have  sustained  their  national 
peculiarity,  not  merely  their  physical,  but  still 
more  their  mental  and  spiritual  features.  That 
they  exist  is  a  miracle  ;  but  that  they  are  what 
they   arc   is    still    more    w^onderful.     In    the   field 


FAITH  AND   PRAYEB,  367 

of  abstract  thought  they  produced  a  Spinoza  ;  in 
music,  a  Mendelssohn  ;  in  poetry  and  light  literature, 
in  politics,  in  the  exact  sciences,  in  every  branch 
.of  thought  and  modern  civilized  life  they  have 
shown  themselves  quite  able  to  compete  with  any 
nation. 

FAITH    AND    PRAYER. 

Amen  is  the  voice  of  faith.  We  must  pray  not 
only  in  the  name  of  Christ,  but  pray  believing  that 
we  shall  receive  our  requests  ;  faith  and  prayer  are 
almost  the  same.  The  vibration  of  faith  is  prayer, 
the  music  of  faith  is  prayer,  faith  is  the  very  soul 
of  prayer.  When  faith  becomes  vocal,  that  is 
prayer.  Take  the  case  of  Elijah  :  "As  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  there 
shall  not  be  dew  nor  rain  these  years,  but  according 
to  my  word."  James  (v.  17)  explains  the  matter. 
Why  have  we  so  little  faith  in  prayer  ?  Because 
we  keep  that  old  philosophical  idea,  that  prayer 
influences  us,  and  not  God  ;  that  it  was  all  settled 
long  ago,  and  our  praying  will  make  no  difference  ; 
that  we  should  pray  and  relieve  our  minds,  pray 
till  we  are  soothed.  If  that  is  true  there  need  be 
no  God  to  pray  to.  We  might  as  well  pray  to  the 
air.  Prayer  is  to  influence  God.  We  must  look 
on  prayer  as  pre-ordained  from  all  eternity  by  God 
to  be  a  law,  a  force  in  the  world,  as  much  as  any 
other  force  in  nature  or  in  history.  Prayer  is  a 
link  in  the  wonderful  chain  fixed  in  God's  own 
love,  on  the  one  hand,  and  in  man's  action,  on  the 
other. 


368  GENIUS  AND   SPIRITUALITY 


GENIUS    AND    SPIRITUALITY. 

The  natural  or  merely  psychical   man  does  not 
understand  sphitual  things.    He  deems  them  foolish- 
ness ;  earth  and  the  lower    sphere  of  reason  and 
feeling  satisfy  him.     But  among  the  psychical  men 
are  some  who  break  through  the  circle  of  nature 
and  science  into  a  hig^her  reoion.     We   call  these 
men  of  genius.    But  with  all  their  power  of  thought 
and  imagination,  they  cannot  lift  themselves  above 
"the  world."     Faith   alone  is   tlie  victory   which 
overcometh   the  w^orld.     The   Spirit  of  God  alone 
changes  ns  into  spiritual  m(3n.     Genius  is  often,  to 
the  more  thoughtful  and  noble-minded,  the  substi- 
tute for  God's  revelation.      The}^   know   and  love 
that  which  is  "  spiritual."    And  in  many  views  and 
exj^ressions  there  is  necessarily  a  similarity  between 
the  man  of  genius  and  the  spiritual  man,  because 
lioth  are  opposed  to  the  lower  sphere  of  the  visible. 
But    there    is    a,   radical    opposition    between    the 
psychical  man  who  has  not  the  mind  of  Christ,  and 
the  spiritual.     And  as  the  age  advances,  the  cod- 
flict   between   Christ's  Church   and  the  world  will 
become  more  what  it  was  in  the  Apostolic  times; 
between   the  foolishness   of   God  and  the   wisdom 
of  man.     Paganism,    the    w^orship  of  the    created 
(spirit) — the  self-sufficiency    of   man,    axjTapxsia — 
man,  being  a  god  to  himself — is  the  spirit  of  the 
world.      Hebraism,  or  Jehovahism,  and  Hellenism, 
are  the  opposing  principles. 


THE  BODY  NOT  THE  SOURCE   OF  SIN.       369 


THE    BODY  NOT   THE    CHIEF    CENTRE  OR   SOURCE 
OF   SIN. 

There  is  no  opposition  Ijetween  body  and 
spirit ;  Christ  has  a  body  now,  and  yet  He  is 
Spirit.  His  body  also  is  spiritual,  full  of  glory, 
light,  and  power.  There  are  spirits  without  bodies, 
and  some  of  them  are  devils.  "  Carnar'  is  often 
coufounded  with  bodily.  Views  are  sometimes 
suspected  as  ''carnal"  which  are  scriptural  and 
spiritual.  "  The  end  of  all  God's  ways  is  embodi- 
ment," is  a  fruitful  saying  of  Otinger.  God  prepares 
a  body  for  Christ.  There  is  a  place  of  glory  for 
the  glorified ;  there  is  an  outward  and  visible 
kingdom  yet  to  appear,  ushered  in  by  signs  aod 
wonders,  even  as  there  is  a  spiritual  and  invisible 
kingdom,  which  cometh  not  with  observation.  The 
two  kino'doms  are  one. 


o 


THE   APOSTLES    MADE    NO    CONCESSIONS    TO    IDOLATRY. 

The  commission  to  teach  all  nations  shows  the 
universality  of  His  power  and  claim,  the  unity 
of  the  race,  the  final  conquest  of  the  world.  And 
so  the  Church  planted  by  Christ  is  to  be  filled 
with  love  to  all  men.  The  commission  is  to  teach. 
The  Word  of  God  is  the  lesson.  This  teaching  or 
preaching  was  the  great  commission  of  the  Church. 

It  was  the  highest  office  of  an  Apostle.  Both 
Apostolic  missions  and  modern  missions  have 
proved  that  there  is  no  nation  so  sunk  in  idolatry 
and  vice,  so  degraded  and  ignorant,  but  the  Word 
of  God  is  able  to  penetrate  the  darkness,  with 
enlightening    and    healing    power.      The    Word    is 


370  NO   CONCESSIONS  TO  IDOLATRY. 


the  sword ;  let  it  not  be  sheathed  and  rendered 
powerless,  in  the  ceremonies  and  traditions  and 
concealments  of  human  adaptation  and  policy. 
The  truth  can  make  all  men  free ;  we  have  no 
right  to  bring  them  into  our  intermediate  region 
of  tutelage  and  bondage.  How  flimsy  appear  the 
defences  of  pictures  and  ceremonies,  when  con- 
sidered in  the  light  of  Scripture  !  Did  the  Apostles, 
coming  to  idolatrous,  rude,  and  uncultivated  tribes, 
find  it  necessary  to  have  recourse  to  images  and 
ritual  ?  Did  they  think  it  wise  and  right  to  keep 
the  people  in  a  state  of  infantine  passiveness  and 
mechanical  obedience  ?  Did  Paul  present  to  the 
idolatrous  Ephesians  half-truths,  and  give  them 
a  scanty  instalment  of  the  doctrines  of  life  ?  No  ; 
he  declared  to  them  the  whole  counsel  of  God. 
The  Church  is  a  witness  and  light  sent  by  Christ, 
and  the  Word,  which  she  hath  received  from  her 
Lord,  she  giveth  to  the  world.  The  Church  is 
where  the  Word  of  God  is.  The  Reformers  spoke 
very  clearly  and  emphatically  on  the  true  character 
of  the  Gospel   ministry. 

THE   APOSTLES. 

Next  to  Christ  Himself,  there  is  nothing  more 
wonderful  than  these  Apostles.  A  general  shows 
his  discrimination,  shows  that  he  is  a  general,  by 
apyjointing  suitable  men  to  different  positions. 
The  Lord  Jesus  set  apart  twelve  men.  He  waited 
for  the  Father  to  send  them  to  Him — men  who 
should  do  His  work  after  He  had  departed ;  so 
they   had   always  to  be  with  Him,   because  the}' 


THE  APOSTLES.  371 


were  to  be  witnesses  for  Him ;  pillars  on  which 
the  Church  is  to  rest ;  great  soldiers  who  should 
go  forth  without  swords  to  fight  great  battles. 
They  were  also  to  perform  miracles.  Jesus  waited 
till  His  Father  sent  them  to  Him,  and  then  He 
thanked  God  for  them.  He  chose  them  with 
infinite  wisdom.  There  was  great  variety  of 
character  among  them,  but  one  thing  attaches  to 
them  all,  even  to  Judas — great  energy  and  decision. 
Very  various  are  their  characteristics ;  Peter  warm- 
hearted and  excitable  :  John  and  James,  called  the 
sons  of  thunder,  very  ambitious,  but  it  was  a 
good  ambition ;  they  wanted  to  sit  one  on  the 
right  hand  and  the  other  on  the  left  hand  of 
Christ  in  His  Kingdom ;  and  wdien  asked  if  they 
could  be  baptized  with  His  baptism,  they  said, 
We  can."  There  was  Nathanael,  called  also 
Bartholomew ;  and  Thomas,  melancholy  by  the 
very  force  and  intensity  of  his  love.  Of  some 
we  know  nothing ;  let  us  learn  from  this  that 
some  do  work,  which  no  one  knows  about ;  it  is 
not  to  be  talked  about ;  but  still,  if  we  only  stand 
on  the  muster-roll  of  the  great  Master,  it  is  there. 
Judas  was  also  chosen?  Why?  What  blessed 
lessons  we  have  here  !  Xo  one  can  fall  into  false 
security  who  remembers  that,  even  among  the 
twelve  Apostles,  there  was  Judas.  Already  had 
Christ  said,  ''Ye  shall  sit  on  tw^elve  thrones,  judging 
the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  Could  Judas  not  say, 
"  There  is  a  seat  for  me  as  well  as  for  the  rest "  ? 
Dear  friends,  we  may  be  among  the  number  of 
the  disciples,  hear  the  precious  promises,  but  still 


a 


372  THE  APOSTLES. 


we  need  the  warning  to  be  careful  and  watchful, 
"  working  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling."  There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  title-deed 
way  to  heaven.  We  can't  see  our  title  clear, 
except  hy  constantly  looking  to  Jesus.  What 
affection  Jesus  bore  them  !  He  was  like  a  mother 
to  them.  He  sometimes  rebuked  them  for  their 
ignorance  and  slowness  of  heart.  Yet,  notwith- 
standing all  the  sorrow  they  gave  Him,  how  He 
treated  them  !  He  always  left  them  at  liberty. 
"  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?  "  He  had  fastened  them 
to  Himself.  How  He  delighted  in  them  !  How 
eager  He  w^as  to  praise  them  !  Learn  how  mag- 
nanimous He  is,  notwithstanding  all  our  faithless- 
ness and  sin.  The  Lord  Jesus  trusts  us.  He 
wants  to  bring  out  the  peculiar  grace  and  treasure 
Lie  has  entrusted  to  each  of  us.  "  Whom  say  ye 
that  I  am?"  He  expects  their  answer  will  dis- 
tinguish them  from  the  rest — they  will  have  a 
different  view  of  Jesus,  the  Son  of  man. 


"the  world." 

The  world  is  often  spoken  of,  and  it  is  an  expres- 
sion that  is  used  very  superficially ;  but  we  should 
know  what  it  means.  God  loves  the  world  ;  it 
is  very  beautiful  and  very  good.  Not  nature  only, 
but  the  various  institutions  among  men  ;  God  has 
Himself  created  the  family,  the  government,  the 
power  with  which  He  has  gifted  man,  his  intellect 
and  imagination,  and  the  powers  which  result  from 
the  combination  of  men.  God  loves  all  this.  He 
honours  it,  and  stands  by  it.     Whenever  we  see 


THE    world:  373 


anything  orderly,  sensible,  disciplined,  it  is  of  God, 
even  though  it  be  among  the  unconverted.  There 
is  a  sense  in  which  God  loves  the  world — science, 
art,  politics,  and  knows  all  that  is  going  on.  There 
is  a  sense  in  which  God  hates  the  w^orld — all  that  is 
sinful,  unholy,  impure.  So  far  as  the  world  is 
based  on  God's  creation,  He  loves  it;  so  far  as  it 
is  based  on  the  hdl.   He  hates  it. 

The  first  danger  is,  to  say  that  all  material  things 
are  worldly — science,  art,  commerce,  army,  navy,  &c. 
Not  so  ;  they  are  God's  institutions.     He  is  not  an 
enemy  but  a  friend  to  them,  and  in  this  sense  it 
is  the  duty  of  a  Christian  not  to  be  cowardly,  but 
to  go  in  and  take  possession.     True  !  it  is  a  lower 
sphere,  but  God  has  put  us  there,  and  He  influences 
us,  by  all  around  us.    The  Church  is  to  keep  separate 
from  that  which  is  sinful ;  but  what  is  sinful  ?    We 
must  not  think  we  are  keeping  separate  from  the 
world,  when   we  absent  ourselves  from  a  certain 
society,  and  things  in  it.     There  was  a  time  when 
Christ  said,  "  Get  thee  behind  Me,  Satan,"  so  that 
we  may  be  in  the  society  of  Christ  and  His  apostles, 
and  yet  in  the  world.     Ambition,  lust,  self-asser- 
tion,   cowardice,    there    are    a   thousand   different 
manifestations  of  the  world,  and  from  this  ''  w^orld  " 
you    are    to   keep    yourselves.      You    might   steep 
Jesus  right  into  the  world,  and  it  would  not  affect 
Him.     He  was  not  afraid  of  it,  for  wherever  He 
w^ent,  He  caused  light  and  blessing,  power  and  life 
to    aiise    there.       I    know    there    is    a    great    and 
immense    difference    between    Him    and    us,    and 
between  different  Christians  too.     We  are  to  fight. 


374  ^THE    world: 


not  only  against  the  world  around  us,  but  the 
world  within  us,  and  in  proportion  as  we  overcome 
the  world  within  us,  we  shall  be  able  to  exert 
a  good  influence  on  those  around  us.  There  is 
such  a  thing  as  morbid  scrupulosity ;  there  is  a 
disease  among  professing  Christians,  one  that  sees 
small  things  appear  large,  and  large  things  appear 
small  ;  but  Jesus  never  loses  the  right  balance.  A 
Christian  should  be  like  a  safety-lamp,  able  to  go 
into  noxious  vapours,  and  yet  remain  separate 
from  them,  by  prayer,  humility,  and  the  love  of 
Christ — he  himself  giving  light,  and  yet  being  in 
safety,  undisturbed,  untouched  by  them.  The 
Church  is  compared  to  fire  in  the  midst  of  water, 
sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves,  holiness  in  the  midst 
of  sin,  heavenliness  in  the  midst  of  earthliness  ;  it  is 
wonderful,  how  the  Lord  does  preserve  His  Church. 
There  is  only  one  Church ;  and  Jesus,  the  Son  of 
God,  is  the  foundation  on  which  it  is  built.  When 
I  was  baptized,  I  did  not  think  I  was  baptized  into 
any  particular  sect,  but  into  the  Church  of  Christ, 
and  it  is  blessed  to  remember  that  all  faithful 
disciples  make  up  one  great  and  glorious  body.  .  .  . 
Jesus  sends  us  that  we,  as  human  beings  in  the 
different  places  assigned  to  us,  should  show  forth 
the  mind  and  the  will  of  God.  I  know  it  is  difti- 
cult,  dear  friends,  but  God  encourages  us  in  it  all. 
Why  did  Jesus  live  thirty  years  upon  the  earth, 
unknown  to  any  but  as  the  carpenter,  a  good  son, 
a  kind  brother,  industrious,  One  who  adorned  His 
profession  of  faith  in  God ;  as  One  who  studied  and 
exemplified  what  He  described  in  the  Sermon  on 


THE    world:  375 


the  Mount  ?  Love,  He  tells  us,  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law.  As  Pascal  has  said,  **No  amount  of 
matter  can  produce  thought,  no  amount  of  thought 
can  produce  love ;  as  thought  is  above  matter,  so 
is  love  above  thought."  So  let  us  strive  to  love, 
for  love  comes  down  from  God  the  Father,  through 
Jesus,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  therefore 
we  must  abide  near  to  Jesus. 

Love  is  the  enemy  of  the  world — which  is  wilful 
and  self-concentrated.  If  we  walk  in  love  we  must 
overcome  the  world,  both  within  and  around  us. 

PREACHING    CHRIST    ACCORDING    TO    THE   SCRIPTURES. 

The  first  thing  that  strikes  us  is,  that  we  preach 
a  Person.      We  hear   the  voice ;    we   behold   the 
countenance    of    a   Person.       "I    am   the    Lord." 
"  Look    at   Me."      "  Keturn    unto   the   Lord    thy 
God."     "  I  am  thy  Shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great 
Reward."     In  all  Old  Testament  history  we  behold 
God  ;  not  Deity,  an  abstraction,  a  Divine  power — 
but  the  living  God  ;  not  God  hidden  in  impene- 
trable darkness — but  God,  as  in  condescending  love 
He  seeks  and  saves  man,  making  known  His  name 
and  showing  His  face.     In  the  New  Testament  the 
same  supreme,  central,  and  ail-pervading  position 
which  is  given  to  Jehovah  in  the  Old  is  assigned 
to  a  Person,  whose  name  is  Jesus.     (2)  If  we  preach 
a  Person,  and,  as  need  scarcely  be  added,  a  Divine 
Person,  for  it  is  inconceivable  that  the  messenoer 
of  God  to  man  should  be  a  creature  ever  so  exalted 
and   perfect,   we    cannot  truly  understand  Christ, 
except  by  Divine  revelation.     No  man  can  under- 


37G  FREACHING    CHRIST. 


stand  Christ — even  since  Christ  has  lived  and  died ; 
and  without  the  help  of  the  New  Testament  Scrip- 
tures— unless  He  is  revealed  to  Him  also  by  the 
Spirit.  Here  lies  the  source  of  all  pseudo-Christi- 
anity. A  Divine  person  is  understood  only  by  a 
Divine  revelation,  of  which  Scripture  is  the  record 
without,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  the  illumination 
within.  To  preach  Christ  means  to  preach  Christ 
according  to  the  Scriptures.  (3)  If  Christ  is  a 
Person,  the  Son  of  God,  and  if  He  is  to  be  preached 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  then  to  preach  Christ 
means  to  preach  Christ  crucified.  The  death  of 
Christ  as  an  atoning  sacrifice  is  the  very  centre 
and  heart  of  preaching  Cheist.  The  Cross  of 
Christ  is  the  meaning  of  all ;  the  central  point 
from  which  radiates  Justification,  Sanctification, 
and  the  Future  Glory.  God  hath  given  to  us  the 
ministry  of  reconciliation  ;  and  by  reconciliation 
nothing  else  is  meant  but  the  expiatory  substitutive 
death  of  Christ.     This  is  the  Gospel. 

To  the  world  our  message  is — Christ  crucified  : 
to  the  believer — Christ  risen.  The  crucifixion 
took  place  before  the  world ;  the  resurrection,  in 
secret.  It  is  perfectly  true  that  if  Christ  had  not 
risen,  the  Gospel  would  neither  be  true,  nor  would 
it  be  a  living  and  vitalizing  power ;  but  the  Gospel 
itself  is — ChPvISt  died  for  the  Ungodly.  The 
sio^nificance  of  the  resurrection  is  that  Jesus,  the 
Christ,  our  Substitute,  was  raised.  He  lives  and 
sees  His  end,  because  His  soul  was  made  an 
ofi'ering  for  sin.  He  shall  divide  the  spoil  with 
the  strong,  because  He  poured  out  His  soul  unto 


PREACHING    CHRIST,  ^11 

death.  "  1  am  He  that  liveth,  and  was  dead,  and, 
behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore."  The  glory  of  the 
Risen  Lord  as  Prophet  and  royal  Priest  can  only 
be  seen  in  the  light  of  Golgotha.  Even  the  glori- 
fied saints  cry,  "  Thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed 
us  to  God  by  Thy  blood."  Preaching  Christ  cruci- 
fied is  the  only  way  in  which  His  life  and  ministry 
can  be  understood.  The  glory  of  Christ's  life  was, 
that  for  the  glory  of  the  Father  and  the  salvation 
of  sinners  He  became  man,  and  having  become 
man,  went  in  the  path  of  humility  ;  always  looking 
forward  to,  and  at  last  enduring,  the  death  of  the 
Cross.  In  this  light  alone  we  truly  behold  the 
Lamb  without  spot  and  blemish.  Thus  we  are  to 
preach  Christ  crucified  ;  not  to  the  exclusion  of  His 
life,  but  to  the  inclusion  and  true  possession  of  all 
that  is  in  Christ.  (4)  For  we  preach  not  the  cruci- 
fixion of  Christ,  but  Christ  Himself.  Christ 
yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.  Christ  as  Prophet, 
Priest,  and  King;  Christ  in  His  humiliation,  and 
Christ  in  His  glory  ;  Christ  the  Lamb  fore-ordained 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  foretold  by  the 
prophets,  welcomed  by  the  godly  in  Israel — a 
Person,  true  man  and  yet  true  God,  in  whom  we 
possess  the  Father,  and  from  whom  we  receive  the 
Spirit. 

In  preaching  Christ,  three  things  are  to  be  borne 
in  mind — (1)  Christ  is  absolutely  necessary.  (2) 
Christ  is  absolutely  sufficient.  (3)  Christ  is 
absolutely   accessible. 

Modern  preaching  lacks  power  mainly  in  this 
fundamental  point — that  Christ  is  absolutely  neces- 


B  B 


378  PREACHING   CHRIST, 

sary.  The  grandeur  of  the  Eemedy  cannot  be  seen, 
unless  we  know  something  of  the  depth  of  the  Fall. 
This  expression — the  wrath  of  God — is  an  expression 
most  obnoxious  to  the  present  age.  True  !  God  is 
love ;  but  that  very  love  must  hate  sin.  He  is  a 
consuming  fire.  Thus  it  was  that  Christ  died  not 
the  death  of  a  martyr ;  but  He  felt  death  in  its 
penal  connection  with  sin.  The  severity  and  love 
of  God  were  revealed  in  the  Old  Testament,  but 
made  bright  and  intense  in  the  New.  It  is  from 
the  lips  of  Jesus  we  are  taught  the  judgment  of 
everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 
Christ  is  absolutely  sufficient  both  for  the  present 
and  the  future.  Our  adoption  is  not  merely  legal, 
but  real.  Everything  is  given  us  with  Him,  and  each 
believer  has  an  everlasting  and  blessed  existence. 
And  Christ  is  accessible.  What  appears  easy  in 
theory  however  is  difficult  in  practice.  There  is 
the  difficulty  of  taking  in  the  idea  of  Feee 
Grace  —  the  dread  of  contact  with  God;  the 
shrinking  from  having  anything  definitely  con- 
cluded between  God  and  us.  The  Church  of  Eome 
has  illustrated  these  three  tendencies.  She  places 
the  narrow  path,  good  work,  ceremonies,  &c.  before 
the  strait  gate ;  she  places  God  and  Christ  at  a 
great  distance,  with  mediation  between  ;  and  in- 
stead of  giving  present  salvation,  she  substitutes  an 
indefinite  hope  in  herself,  after  thousands  of  years 
of  purgatory.  There  is  no  difi*erence  between  Jesus 
on  His  heavenly  throne  and  Jesus  when  on  earth. 
This  is  the  glory  of  Jesus  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
that  He  rcceiveth  siiniers.     He  is  now  a  merciful 


AS  LITTLE   children:  379 


and  compassionate  High  Priest.  The  name  He 
bears,  Jesus,  means,  in  the  words  of  David,  "  He 
shall  redeem  Israel  from  all  their  iniquities." 
Christ  is  absolutely  essential ;  He  is  all- sufficient ; 
He  is  willing  to  receive  sinners.  This  is  the 
message  of  the  preacher. 

"except  ye  become  as  little  childken." 

1.  Look  first  at  the  docilitij  oi  childhood  !  It  is 
constantly  being  taught,  corrected ;  rules  and  laws 
are  given  to  it  which  are  received  with  all 
simplicity,  without  thinking  them  strange  or 
hard ;  and  the  continual  influence  of  a  stronger 
mind  and  more  powerful  will  does  not  raise  up 
a  wall  of  separation  between  the  child  and  its 
teacher ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  sweet  link  of 
afi"ection,  the  strength  of  which  nothing  can 
weaken,  and  the  sweetness  nothing  can  embitter. 
How  soon  do  we  lose  it ;  how  impatient  are  we 
that  God  should  be  a  continual  influence  in  all  our 
ways  and  works,  that  He  should  be  brought  into 
the  minutest  details  of  our  life ;  with  what  a  bad 
grace  do  we  become  disciples,  learners ;  how  far 
from  the  docility  of  little  children  ! 

2.  The  earnestness  of  childhood.  A  superficial 
observer  would  say  it  was  not  so  ;  that  a  child  is 
fond  of  mirth  and  lauohter,  has  no  care  for  the 
morrow.  That  is  true ;  but  it  is  also  true  that 
the  characteristic  of  childhood  is  solemnity  and 
earnestness.  Have  you  ever  noticed  how  solemnly 
they  will  listen  to  a  history  of  self-sacrifice,  loyalty, 
and  love ;  how  easy  it  is  for  them  to  believe  in 


380  'EXCEPT   YE  BECOME 

things  spiritual  and  eternal ;  how  simple  and 
direct  their  faith  in  God ;  how  they  at  once  apply 
the  rules  of  the  Word  of  God  to  the  course  of  life 
before  them ;  how  immediately  they  expect  an 
answer  to  prayer  ?  How  different  is  it  afterwards 
when  we  have  grown  wise  and  become  young  men 
and  women  (and  our  young  men  and  women  are 
the  most  sophistical  portion  of  the  human  race) ; 
how  w^e  pride  ourselves  on  our  knowledge  that  we 
understand  the  motives  of  men  1  To  the  things  of 
God  we  become  calm,  languid,  sceptical,  undecided  ; 
and  to  the  things  of  the  world,  prejudiced,  eager, 
excited,  intoxicated.  *'  Except  ye  be  converted, 
and  become  as  little  children." 

3.  The  hQ^wXiiivl  franhiess  and  unsuspiciousness 
of  childhood.  It  does  not  see  why  it  should 
disguise  its  thoughts  and  feelings ;  or  why  it  should 
have  such  deferential  reverence  to  a  rich  man  or  a 
learned  man ;  it  breathes  as  yet  the  fresh  air  of 
the  woods,  instead  of  the  sickly  scented  air  of  our 
civilization ;  it  distinguishes  the  excellent  and  the 
beautiful,  whatever  shape  it  may  wear.  How 
different  it  is  afterwards  1 

4.  The  helplessness  of  childhood.  A  little  child 
is  so  conscious  of  its  helplessness  ;  it  is  so  easy 
for  it  to  be  humble ;  to  say  thank  you,  to  appeal 
to  you  to  do  an  act  of  kindness ;  it  is  not 
difficult  to  stoop ;  its  natural  attitude  is  sitting 
at  the  feet  of  the  Master  and  those  representing 
HinL 

5.  A  child  lives  in  the  present,  is  not  anxious 
for  the  morrow;  a  disappointment  does  not  crush 


AS  LITTLE   children:  381 


it ;  it  springs  back  again,  because  the  undercurrent 
of  its  life  is  joy  and  confidence. 

6.  In  childhood  there  is  a  distinct  idea  of 
Divine  justice.  Tell  a  child  a  story  in  which  the 
wicked  go  unpunished,  and  it  is  disappointed  ;  its 
tiny  conscience  rebels,  and  there  is  no  dilKculty  in 
feeling  that  the  motive  of  punishment  is  love,  and 
so  it  is  able  to  return  again  with  perfect  confidence 
to  the  love  and  tenderness  of  its  father,  knowing 
that  love  is  the  deepest  of  all  parents  and  teachers. 
Are  your  children  teaching  you  ? — for  only  then 
will  you  be  able  to  teach  them.  Many  will  say  I 
am  idealizing ;  of  course  I  am.  What  is  the  use  of 
the  Bible  if  we  could  not  idealize  ?  To  see  beneath 
the  surface  must  be  given  to  us  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.  What  I  have  said  does  not  exist  in  any 
child  in  perfection,  nor  alone,  but  is  mixed  with 
much  that  is  not  beautiful,  but  ugly,  the  con- 
sequence of  our  sinful,  fallen  condition.  Remember 
what  Christ  says,  ^'  as  little  children,'^  humble, 
docile,  not  self-reliant,  believing  in  the  love  of  God 
spite  of  all  chastisement  and  affliction ;  joyous  in 
His  favour,  rejoicing  to  serve  Him ;  knowing  that 
to  serve  Him  is  perfect  freedom. 

7.  Let  us  look  at  the  limitation  of  childhood, 
Paul  refers  in  one  instance  to  his  childhood  in  that 
wonderful  chapter  on  love — 1  Cor.  xiii.  11.  Let  us 
remember  that  we  are  but  little  children  in  relation 
to  God  and  eternity,  and  therefore  I  am  not 
astonished  that  in  the  Bible  there  are  many 
doctrines  I  cannot  comprehend,  many  sentiments 
I  cannot  reconcile.     Why  should  we  be  alarmed 


382  'EXCEPT   YE  BECOME. 


or  have  our  faith  shaken  by  our  difficulty  in 
comprehending  the  whole  counsel  of  God  ?  On 
the  contrary,  it  is  at  once  an  exercise  and  a 
confirmation  of  faith.  If  the  Bible  was  not 
wonderful,  I  could  not  believe  it;  if  it  was  not 
mysterious,  I  could  not  accept  it ;  if  it  was  not 
great,  I  could  fathom  it,  but  now  it  f^ithoms  me. 
We  are  little  children.  God  is  our  Father,  and 
tlie  Bible  His  Word.  If  I  only  know  that  I  am 
His  child,  then  it  is  eas}^  to  believe,  in  spite  of 
all  that  is  mysterious,  but  not  because  of  it. 

8.  The  contrast  of  childhood.  We  are  told  in 
malice  to  be  children ;  but  in  understanding,  in 
courage,  in  loyalty,  in  service,  we  are  to  be  men, 
not  tossed  to  and  fro  by  every  wdnd  of  doctrine. 
Let  us  beseech  you,  in  the  name  of  the  Apostle  who 
thus  writes,  and  of  the  Lord  who  inspired  him,  to 
quit  yourseh^es  like  men.  It  is  taught  us  in 
Scripture,  and  confirmed  by  the  experience  of  the 
Church,  that  where  there  is  most  of  the  simplicity 
of  childhood,  there  is  the  greatest  manliness  in  the 
service  of  Christ.  What  a  blessed  thing  it  is  to 
be  a  child  of  God !  It  contains  the  humility  and 
simplicity  of  a  little  child,  the  ardour  and  earnest- 
ness of  youth,  the  peaceful  security  of  old  age 
(1  John  ii.  12 — 14).  There  is  no  true  man  but  a 
Christian ;  but  he  is  a  true  man,  for  he  is  infant, 
youth,  and  old  man  all  in  one,  because  he  is  a  man 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

Dear  friends,  are  you  the  children  of  God  ?  Do 
you  love  God  as  your  Father?  Is  that  world  a 
reality  to    you  ?     The   children   of  the  world   are 


AS  LITTLE   CHILDBEN.'  383 

always  saying  that  God  is  their  Father ;  but  to 
them  it  means  only  that  they  may  do  as  they  like — 
hoard  up  wealth,  fritter  away  the  precious  time  ; 
that  it  does  not  matter  whether  they  love  Jesus 
or  serve  Him  ;  and  they  will  secure  themselves  by 
saying,  ''God  is  a  Father."  I  should  not  like  to  have 
such  a  Father.  If  my  Father  is  indifferent  whether 
I  love  Him  or  His  Jesus,  that  is  no  Father  to  me. 
Oh,  repent,  turn  back  from  this  miserable  empty 
life,  that  can  only  end  in  death  [  Don't  believe 
there  are  any  insuperable  difficulties  to  be  over- 
come. God  is  willing  and  waiting  to  receive  you. 
Jesus  is  ready  to  welcome  you.  The  Holy  Ghost 
is  just  at  the  door  of  your  heart,  that  He  may 
enter  in  and  cry  Abba.  Only  be  a  sinner.  Go 
out  of  the  circle  of  death  unto  Him  who  has  said, 
"  Come  unto  Me."  May  there  be  none  of  us  here 
who  are  not  members  of  that  family  who  are 
washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  renewed  by  the 
Holy  Ghost !  But  we  must  be  convinced  of  it  even 
now ;  we  cannot  remain  in  doubt  of  such  a  thing, 
but  must  immediately,  when  we  see  the  heavenly 
vision,  without  conferring  with  flesh  and  blood, 
run  into  the  open  arms  of  the  Father,  that  He  may 
enfold  us, — to  keep  us  in  eternal  security  for  ever- 
more. May  the  Lord  by  the  Holy  Ghost  give  joy 
to  all  His  believing  children,  and  convert  all,  for 
they  need  conversion,  who  do  not  believe  in  Jesus ! 
Amen. 


384 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE} 

"  Beloved,"now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  we  phall  be  :  but  we  know  that,  when  He  shall  appear, 
we  shall  be  like  Him  ;  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is." — 
1  John  iii.   2. 

nOPE,  like  faith  and  love,  is  a  grace  given  by  God  and 
implanted  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Faith  is  the  gift  of 
God.  Love  to  Christ  is  the  gift  of  God.  Hope  is  the  gift 
of  God.  Hope  is  as  essential  as  faith  and  love.  In  fact 
there  can  be  no  real  faith  in  Christ,  there  can  be  no  real 
love  to  the  Saviour,  unless  they  be  accompanied  by  hope. 
For  what  is  it  that  we  believe  ?  We  believe  that  Jesus 
has  saved  us.  Saved  from  what  ?  From  the  wrath  to 
come.  Saved  us  unto  what?  Saved  us  unto  eternal 
glory.  Both  the  wrath  to  come,  from  which  the  Lord  has 
delivered  us,  and  the  eternal  glory,  wdiich  is  to  be  our 
portion,  are  things  of  the  future.  We  look  forward  unto 
them  in  hope.  If  we  believe  in  Jesus,  we  must  have  hope. 
If  we  love  Christ,  we  must  have  hope.  For  if  we  love 
one  and  he  is  absent  from  us,  our  great  desire  is  that  we 
may  be  united — that  he  may  come  again  unto  us,  and 
that  he  may  then  take  us  into  such  fellowship  with  him- 
self that  we  can  never  more  fall  away  from  him — that 
we  can  never  more  be  separate.  If  a  man  says  he  loves 
Jesus,  and  he  is  indifferent  about  the  return  of  Christ,  or 
about  heaven,  or  about  being  united  with  Christ  evermore, 
that  man's  words  are  vague. 

•^  Preached  on  Sunday  Morning,    December   31,    1871,   in  St.    Mark's 
Presbyterian  Church,  Greenwich. 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE.  385 

We  have  received  eternal  life,  and  yet  we  have  not 
received  it.  We  are  saved,  yet  we  are  only  saved  by 
hope.  We  have  received  grace,  and  yet  the  Apostle 
Peter  exhorts  us  to  be  sober,  and  to  wait  for  the  grace 
which  is  to  be  revealed  nnto  us  at  the  coming  of  Christ. 
We  are  made  children  of  God,  and  yet  the  Apostle  Paul 
says  we  are  waiting  for  the  adoption,  that  is,  the  re- 
demption of  the  body.  We  have  received  the  great 
salvation,  and  yet  that  salvation  is  only  the  end  of  our 
faith,  and  shall  be  given  to  us  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  We  are  glorified,  because  those  whom  God 
hath  called  and  justified  He  has  also  glorified ;  for  the 
spirit  of  Glory  is  resting  upon  us  ;  and  yet  the  glory  hath 
not  yet  appeared.  We  are  looking  forward  unto  it.  So 
that  in  all  things,  in  every  respect,  beginning  with  the 
most  elementary  manifestation  of  the  grace  of  God,  and 
ending  in  that  which  is  its  consummation,  we  have  already 
the  germ  of  the  future ;  but  the  fulfilment  of  that  germ 
we  have  not  received,  and,  like  all  the  creatures  round 
about  us,  we  are  groaning  and  travailing  in  birth — for  our 
own  birth — that  we  should  be  made  manifest  in  Christ. 
When  Christ  shall  appear,  when  Jesus  Christ  shall  be 
sent  again  from  heaven  in  the  hour  which  God  has  ap- 
pointed, then  shall  we  obtain  the  end  of  our  faith,  namely, 
our  perfect  and  full  salvation.  So  are  we  bound  up  in 
Christ,  inseparably  from  Him,  that  all  His  history  is  as  it 
were  repeated  in  us,  and  that  we  cannot  be  complete  until 
the  whole  object  of  God  has  been  perfected  in  Him.  When 
we  think  of  the  birth  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  say, 
"  We  are  saved," — ''  Emmanuel,  God  with  us  " — and  yet  we 
know  tiat  salvation  is  not  complete.  It  has  only  begun. 
For  it  is  necessary  that  this  child  should  grow,  that  he 
should  be  obedient  unto  the  law,  that  he  should  be  the 
perfect  servant  of  God  upon  earth.  When  we  think  of  what 
Christ  has  been  for  thirty-three  years  upon  earth  we  say, 


386  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   HOPE. 

"  Here  is  our  Representative  ;  here  is  the  Lord  our  God 
who  saves  us,"  and  yet  we  know  it  is  not  complete ;  for 
it  is  necessary  that  He  should  die  upon  the  cross.  And 
when  we  see  Him  upon  the  cross,  then  we  say,  "  Here  is 
our  salvation !  Here  is  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh 
away  our  sin  " ;  and  yet  we  know  that  our  salvation  is  not 
complete ;  for  it  is  necessary  that  if  He  died  He  should 
rise  aofain  from  the  dead.  And  when  we  see  Him  rise  on 
the  third  day,  we  say,  "  Behold  Christ  the  first-fruits  of 
them  that  slept — the  quickening  spirit, — the  Second 
Adam."  And  yet  we  know  it  is  not  complete  ;  for  He 
must  ascend  again,  and  He  must  take  up  His  position  as 
the  Son  of  man  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  there  in  heaven 
to  appear  for  us.  And  when  we  see  Him  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  there,  we  say,  "  Behold  the  Lord  our  Right- 
eousness !  We  are  seated  together  with  Christ  in  heavenly 
places."  And  yet  then  it  is  not  complete  ;  for  even  Christ 
Himself  is  looking  forward,  waiting  and  expecting,  until 
the  time  when  He  shall  come  again  ;  for  then  only  shall 
the  purpose  of  God  be  fulfilled  in  Christ  and  in  the  Church. 
When  He  shall  be  made  manifest,  we  also  shall  be  made 
manifest  with  Him  in  glory.  So,  where  Christ  is,  there 
His  servants  are  to  be.     We  must  follow  Jesus  Christ. 

Now  the  promise  that  is  given  unto  us  is  this — At 
present  it  does  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be.  "  We 
shall  be  like  Him,"  when  Christ  appears.  And  the  reason 
why  we  shall  be  like  Him  is  because  "  we  shall  see  Him 
as  He  is."  These  are  the  two  great  promises  given  unto 
those  that  love  Jesus  Christ,  that  believe  in  His  Name, 
and  that  have  become  the  sons  of  God  through  faith  in 
Him.  They  shall  be  like  Him,  because  they  shall  see 
Him  as  He  is. 

Now,  as  we  have  seen  already,  this  must  have  already 
its  beginning  in  us  at  present.  To  a  certain  extent  we 
must  be  like  Christ  even  now,  if  we  are  to  claim  His 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE.  387 

promise  that  we  shall  be  like  Him  altogether.  And  to  a 
certain,  extent  we  must  see  Jesus  even  now,  if  ours  is  the 
promise  that  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.  Therefore,  what 
is  revealed  unto  us  in  the  future  is  not  something  that  is 
unintelligible  to  us ;  it  is  not  something  that  is  distant — 
away ;  but  we  have  got  already  as  it  were  the  first-fruits 
of  that  which  we  shall  reap ;  we  have  got  already  a  fore- 
taste of  that  enjoyment  which  shall  be  ours.  We  can 
understand  it,  because  we  have  already  entered  into  the 
possession  of  it,  although  we  have  not  yet  fully  come  to 
possess  it. 

Now  this  morning  we  shall  consider  the  one  promise, 
that  we  shall  see  Christ  as  He  is,  this  being  the  ground 
upon  which  He  has  built  the  other  promise,  that  we  shall 
be  like  Him. 

We  shall  see  Christ  as  He  is.  There  are  two  things 
to  be  considered  here : — first,  the  object  of  our  vision — 
Christ ;  and  secondly,  the  manner  of  our  vision,  and  there 
we  must  consider  how  we  have  it  at  present,  and  how  we 
shall  have  it  in  the  future. 

Whom  shall  we  see  ?  Christ.  We  shall  see  Him  as 
He  is. 

Now  we  already  see  Christ  at  present  by  faith.  God 
reveals  His  Son  Jesus  Christ  unto  our  souls,  so  that, 
we  know  Him.  But  then  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is — 
different  from  the  way  in  which  we  see  Him  now.  What 
is  it,  then,  that  is  at  present  imperfect  in  our  vision  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  We  see,  the  Apostle  tells  us,  as  in  a 
glass  darkly ;  but  afterwards  we  shall  see  face  to  face. 
Jesus  Christ  is  revealed  unto  us  in  His  words,  and  in  our 
experience  and  by  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit ;  and  it 
is  this  same  Jesus  whom  we  shall  see  in  the  future. 

Now  let  us  first  think  of  it  in  this  light,  that  it  is  the 
same  Saviour  whom  we  shall  see.  That  is  the  same  Jesus 
Christ  who  is  revealed  unto  us  now  in  His  Word,  and  who 


388  THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE. 

is  revealed  unto  us  in  our  experience,  whom  we  shall 
afterwards  behold.  When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  rose 
from  the  dead,  and  appeared  unto  His  disciples,  He 
manifested  unto  them  the  same  grace  and  the  same  love 
which  they  had  experienced  during  the  da3'S  that  He  was 
walking  with  them  in  the  weakness  of  the  flesh.  There 
was  the  same  condescension,  there  was  the  same  com- 
passion, there  was  the  same  sympathy.  He  appeared 
unto  Thomas  in  condescension  to  the  great  weakness  of 
the  faith  of  Thomas.  He  appeared  unto  Peter,  and  He 
asked  him,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  Me  ?  "  He 
argued  with  them;  He  reasoned  with  them;  He  explained 
unto  them  the  Scriptures.  He  not  merely  manifested  unto 
them  that  it  was  the  same  body  which  they  had  seen 
dying  on  the  cross,  but  He  also  gave  unto  them  proof  that 
in  His  mind,  tliat  in  His  disposition,  that  in  His  character, 
that  in  His  dealings  with  them,  it  was  the  same  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  who  had  attracted  them,  who  had  taught  them, 
and  who  had  borne  for  three  years  with  such  patience  and 
with  such  long-suffering  all  their  weakness  and  all  their 
doubts.  And,  certainly,  this  is  the  great  truth  which  is 
to  be  held  fist  by  us — that  it  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
Himself,  as  He  reveals  Himself  now  to  us  by  His  Word 
and  by  His  Spirit,  who  is  to  be  manifested  unto  us  in  the 
future.  There  will  be  the  same  grace,  there  will  be  the 
same  sympathy,  there  will  be  the  same  tenderness ;  and, 
if  we  have  experienced  now,  in  the  midst  of  our  sins  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  accusations  of  our  conscience,  and  in 
the  down-pressing  feeling  of  our  unworthiness,  how  in 
Jesus  Christ  there  is  nothing  but  grace  and  forgiveness 
unto  all  those  that  come  unto  Him ;  or,  if  we  have 
experienced  in  our  weakness  and  infirmity,  how  the  Lord 
will  be  our  strength  in  our  affliction  and  our  sorrow — how 
Jesus  Himself  is  afflicted  in  our  affliction,  and  bears  with  us 
as  a  compassionate  and  merciful  High  Priest ;  all  this  shall 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE.  389 


be  the  same  when  we  shall  behold  Jesus  Christ  in  glory 
at  His  second  coming,  and  through  the  ages  that  we  are  to 
be  with  Him.    It  is  the  same  Christ  according  to  the  Word 
— according  to  the  spiritual  experience  of  the  believer.    All 
the  saints  of  God  shall  rejoice  to  find  when  they  go  to  heaven 
that  all  the  promises  of  the  Word  and  all  the  descriptions 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Word  are  true,  and  that  God  has  not 
given  unto  us  any  other  manifestation  of  Himself  than  that 
which  corresponds  with  the  reality  and  with  truth.     But, 
at  the  same  time  we  cannot  but  feel  that  our  knowledge 
of    Jesus    Christ — our    perception    of    Jesus    Christ — is 
defective ;  that  it  is  imperfect,  that  it  is  unsymmetrical, 
and  that  it  is  dark.     No  person  can  say  that  he  knows 
Jesus.     However  much  God  may  have  given  unto  us  to 
see  of  Christ,  however  deeply  we  may  have  studied  the 
Scriptures,  and  however  varied  our  experience  may  be  of 
the  Saviour,  it  is  impossible  for  any  one  of  us  to  say  we 
know  Christ ;  but  we  all  must  say  with  the  Apostle  Paul, 
that  it  is  our  great  desire  and  our  constant  eftbrt  that  we 
may  know  Him ;  for  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  there  is  the 
whole  fullness  of  the  Godhead  dwelling  bodily,  and  in  Him 
there   is   given    every  manifestation  of  the  character  of 
God  ;  so  that  we  are  not  able  to  see  all  that  is  in  Christ ; 
•so  that  we  can  only  study  and  gather  together,  as  it  were 
by   a   laborious   process,    the    different    elements   of    the 
character  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  combine  them  in 
our  mind.     We  all  must  have  experienced  it  when  the 
Spirit  of  God  leads  us  into  different  aspects  of  Christ  at 
different  times.     For  instance,  sometimes  we  dwell  much 
in  our  thoughts  and  in  our  meditations,  and,  more  than 
that,   it    is   deeply  impressed   upon   our   conscience   and 
upon   our   feeling,  that   Jesus  is    God — that    He    is    the 
Lord  God ;  that  He  is  infinite  ;  that  He  is  eternal ;  that 
He  is  the  Word  that  was  with  the  Father  from  everlasting ; 
that  He   is  holy;    that    He  is  omnipotent;  that   He   is 


390  THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE. 

omniscient;  that  it  is  impossible,  as  it  were,  to  fathom 
the  fullness  that  is  in  Him.  We  are  filled  with  the  sense 
of  the  grandeur  and  of  the  majesty  of  Christ.  At  other 
times  again  we  dwell  upon  the  humanity  of  Jesus;  we 
remember  that  He  was  born  of  a  woman ;  that  He  was 
a  child ;  that  He  grew ;  that  when  He  was  a  man  He 
hungered  and  thirsted ;  that  He  was  overcome  with 
fatigue ;  that  He  sympathized  in  all  things  that  were 
good  and  pure,  with  those  that  were  around  Him.  We 
think  of  His  benevolence,  and  of  His  affability,  of  all  His 
kindness,  all  His  readiness  to  bless,  to  heal,  to  forgive. 
And  then  we  feel  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  indeed 
the  Lamb  of  God,  that  He  is  gentle,  that  He  is  tender; 
that  we  can  draw  near  unto  Him  with  full  confidence. 
Now  while  we  are  thinking  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ  and 
feeling  it,  and  while  we  are  thinking  on  the  humanity  of 
Christ  and  feelino-  it,  we  do  not  see  Jesus  as  He  is.  We 
have  only  a  one-sided  view^  of  Christ,  and  a  one-sided 
feeling  corresponding  to  that  view  of  Clirist.  He  is  both 
God  and  man:  He  is  both  dreadful  and  awful  in  His 
majesty,  and  gentle  and  tender  in  His  grace  ;  but  we 
have  only  a  one-sided  impression,  and  a  one-sided  feeling. 
We  do  not  see  Him  as  He  is.  Or  again,  if  we  think  of 
Jesus  in  all  His  activities,  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  see 
Jesus  as  He  is — to  take  a  comprehensive  and  therefore  a 
true  view  of  Christ  — what  He  is  in  relation  to  His  Father, 
the  activities  going  upwards  to  God  in  the  way  of  inter- 
cession; wdiat  He  is  towards  the  angels — what  LCe  is 
towards  the  Church — what  He  is  towards  unbelievers 
— what  He  is  towards  the  inanimate  creation.  It  is 
impossible  for  us  while  we  are  fixing  our  mind  on  one  of 
these  aspects,  not  to  forget  the  others.  We  find  it  next 
to  impossible — exceedingly  difficult — to  allow  everything 
to  have  its  just  weight  or  just  proportion.  Or  take  the 
names  of  Jesus  which  are  the  manifestation  of  what  He  is 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE.  391 


— His  name  Jesus — Emmanuel,  the  Lord  our  Risrliteous- 
ness ;  His  name  Melchisedec,  and  the  great  number  of 
other  names  which  God,  in  His  great  mercy,  has  revealed 
unto  us  in  order  that  we  may  study  to  see  Jesus — to 
know  Jesus.  Oh,  who  of  us  knoweth  the  name  of  tlie 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  We  know  something  of  different 
names  of  His;  but  who  of  us  has  got  the  power  of 
combining  them  all  ?  So  again  His  first  coming  and  His 
second  coming.  So  again  all  the  different  types  by  which 
He  is  revealed  to  us — His  character  as  Abel — His  character 
as  Enoch  w^ho  ascended  to  heaven — His  character  as 
Noah — His  character  as  Joseph,  who,  through  suffering, 
goes  to  glory — His  character  as  Moses,  the  true  mediator, 
who  speaks  to  God  face  to  face — His  character  as  Joshua, 
wdio  leads  the  children  of  Israel  into  the  promised  land — 
His  character  as  David  and  Solomon.  Who  is  able  to 
comprehend  all  these  ?  In  the  history  of  the  Church  as 
well  as  in  the  history  of  each  individual,  we  find,  at  differ- 
ent times,  different  aspects  of  Christ  are  held — true  ia 
themselves,  but  one-sided,  defective.  For  instance,  during 
the  time  of  Romanism — the  beginning  of  it — they  were 
so  impressed  with  the  sense  of  the  grandeur  of  Christ,  the 
majesty  of  Christ,  the  divinity  of  Christ,  that  they  said, 
"We  cannot  approach  Him.  He  is  so  great.  He  is  so 
infinite,  He  is  so  glorious,  He  is  so  holy ;  Ave  are  afraid  to 
go  near  unto  Him.  Perhaps  the  mediation  of  angels, 
perhaps  the  mediation  of  saints  who  walk  in  closer  com- 
munion wdth  Him,  perhaps  the  mediation  of  Mary  His 
mother  will  be  a  help  to  us."  Well  now,  the  feeling  that 
prompted  itself  w^as  quite  a  correct  feeling ;  but  it  was 
one-sided.  Jesus  is  very  great.  The  Majesty  of  Jesus  is 
exceedingly  awful.  When  w^e  think  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Eternal  Word,  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
the  appointed  Heir  of  all  things — when  we  read  the 
description  of  Christ  as  it  is  given  to  us  in  the  Book  of 


392  THE    CHRISTIAN'S   HOPE. 

Kevelation,  surely  we  must  all  tremble ;  we  must  all  be 
tilled  with  awe  ;  we  must  say,  "  Who  is  like  unto  Thee  ?  " 
It  is  quite  possible,  dear  friends,  that  we  may  be  just  as 
one-sided,  and  just  as  defective  both  in  our  views  and  our 
feelings,  when  we  lay  all  our  emphasis  upon  the  meekness 
of  Christ,  and  upon  His  gentleness — when  w^e  do  not  think 
of  Him  as  the  Lord  and  the  Judge,  as  the  great  and 
mighty  One  who  is  equal  with  the  Father.  But  in  this 
they  were  wrong,  that  tliey  did  not  see  Jesus  as  He  is, 
namely,  that  they  did  not  see  the  manifestation  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  mercy  of  Christ,  in  the  willingness  of 
Jesus  to  receive  all — in  His  saying,  "  Him  that  cometh 
unto  Me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out " — in  the  tenderness 
with  which  He  receives  all  those  who  turn  from  wicked- 
ness, and  are  anxious  to  seek  the  living  God. 

Or  again,  view  Jesus  as  the  Justifier — as  the  Lord  our 
Righteousness.  Some  people  are  so  fond  of  saying — **  It 
is  all  finished  " — everything  is  done  for  them.  Yes,  dear 
friends,  but  then  has  everything  been  done  in  them  ? 
Jesus  the  Lord  our  Rii^hteousness  is  also  the  Lord  our 
Sanctilication.  In  that  He  died,  sin  was  condemned  in  the 
llesh,  that  we  being  acquitted  might  learn  with  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  sutfer  in  the  flesh ;  that  the  life  may  be  a 
life  of  holiness,  well  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God.  And 
when  we  say  we  are  justified  by  faith,  do  we  also  re- 
member that  before  we  are  justified  by  faith  we  are 
sanctiiied — we  are  set  apart  to  be  new,  to  be  clean,  to  be 
unblamable  in  the  sight  of  God — that  we  are  justified  not 
merely  by  faith,  but  by  Jesus  and  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  God — that  God  never  says  a  thing  which  is  not  a 
reality,  and  that  when  God  declares,  "  This  man  is  just," 
He  makes  the  man  also  justified  ?  When  God  declares 
"  This  man  I  will  look  upon  as  My  child,"  He  makes  him 
also  His  child,  endowing  him  with  the  new  nature, 
renewing  him  after  the  image  of  Christ,  giving  unto  him 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   HOPE.  393 

a   hatred   of    sin,   a   love    of    that   which   is   good    and 
holy. 

Yes,  dear  friends,  the  great  thing  is  to  see  Christ  as 
He  is ;  that  is,  to  see  the  whole  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  is 
not  given  unto  us  here  upon  earth.  We  must  always  be 
UDon  our  guard  lest  we  become  one-sided.  Beinof  one- 
sided,  dear  friends,  is  not  a  matter  of  small  importance : 
it  is  a  matter  of  vital  importance.  Here,  on  earth,  we  can 
only  strive  to  know  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  there  we 
shall  see  Him ;  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.  And  this  is 
the  most  glorious  promise  that  can  be  given  unto  us — to 
behold  Him  in  whom  dwelt  "  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead 
bodily  " — to  behold  Him  who  is  the  delight  of  the  Father, 
whom  to  see  is  the  Father's  great  joy  from  everlasting  to 
everlasting — to  behold  Him  who  seeks  (?)  His  incarnation 
especially  as  becoming  the  well  beloved  Son  of  God,  to 
whom  God  hath  given  to  fulfil  all  His  pleasure,  and  whom 
all  angels  and  all  principalities  adore.  Look,  dear  friends, 
and  this  is  also  one  of  our  defectivenesses,  one  sign  of  our 
departure,  as  it  were,  from  the  fullness,  and  from  the 
simplicity  in  Christ  Jesus.  When  the  Apostles  speak  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ — of  knowing  Jesus  by  the  gospel 
— they  cannot  find  words  enough,  they  cannot  find 
illustrations  enough  to  show  the  sense  they  have  of  the 
grandeur,  of  the  brightness,  of  the  glory  of  the  exceeding 
great  preciousness  of  that  revelation  of  God  in  Jesus 
Christ.  To  them  the  gospel  does  not  seem  such  a  simple 
thing  as  it  does  to  us,  and  such  a  tame  thing,  and  such  a 
pale  thing,  and  a  thing  which  becomes  tiresome  and 
tedious  when  you  hear  it  often  repeated ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  they  cannot  find  words  enough  to  express  the 
exceeding  great  brightness  and  glory  of  that  revelation 
which  God  has  given  unto  us  in  the  face  of  His  only 
begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  The  Apostle  Paul  says, 
*•'  What  can  it  be   now  ?     What  terms  shall  be  able  to 

0  c 


394  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   HOPE. 

express  it  ?  With  what  words  shall  we  be  able  to  designate 
that  feeling  and  impression  which  we  have  got  of  the 
glory  of  Christ  ?  If  even  the  revelation  of  God  through 
Moses — if  even  the  reflection  of  the  countenance  of  God 
upon  the  countenance  of  Moses — was  so  bright  and  so 
splendid  that  the  Israelites  could  not  bear  to  see  it,  and 
to  look  on  the  face  of  Moses,  and  he  had  to  put  a  veil 
upon  his  countenance  by  reason  of  the  greatness  of  that 
light,  what  will  happen  to  us  when  we  see  the  reflection 
of  God  on  the  face  of  His  only  begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ 
— when  we  see  the  reality  of  the  glory  of  God  in  Him  who 
is  the  brightness  of  His  glory, — the  face  of  Christ  the 
Lord  who  appears  unto  us  without  a  veil,  but  shows 
Himself  unto  us  that  we  may  see  Him  face  to  face  ? " 

Now  let  me  just  appeal  to3^ou.  Answer  this.  Is  there 
anything  in  us  corresponding  to  the  feeling  which  dictated 
those  chapters  in  the  Corinthians  which  we  have  read 
together  this  morning  ?  Do  you  think  it  such  an  over- 
powering and  overwhelming  glory  to  read  in  the  Word  of 
God  about  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  ?  Do  you  think  it  such 
a  remarkable  thing  that  you  should  hear  of  Christ — that 
you  should  pray  to  Christ — that  you  should  bend  your 
knee  before  the  Son  of  God  who  has  become  man,  and  who 
is  your  Saviour  ?  Ah,  dear  friends,  how  little  do  we  feel 
the  power  and  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ,  His  Son !  How  little  trembling  of 
awe  and  of  rejoicing  is  there  in  our  souls  when  we  think 
of  that  simple  truth,  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh  :  the 
Word  became  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us" — when  we  think 
of  that  blessed  Name,  the  Name  above  every  name  given 
unto  the  Lord,  that  at  the  Name  of  Jesus  every  knee 
should  bow  in  heaven  and  on  earth  and  under  the  earth  ! 
We  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.  Oh,  that  we  may  have  here, 
at  least,  some  things,  some  foretaste,  some  earnest  of  that 
great  revelation  which   shall  there  be  made  unto  us  of  the 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S   HOPE.  395 

Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  fullness  of  His  perfection,  and  in 
the  fullness  of  His  character ! 

Now  there  is  a  difference  not  merely  in  the  object  that 
we  behold — Christ  Himself  and  the  whole  Christ,  but 
there  is  a  difference  also  in  the  manner  of  our  beholding 
Him — the  manner  of  our  beholding  Him.  I  have  already- 
indicated  that  here  it  is  through  a  mirror ;  and  that  here 
it  is  by  an  effort ;  and  that  here  it  is  by  faith ;  and  that 
here  it  is  in  scattered  rays  which  have  to  be  combined. 
But  there  it  shall  be  vision,  an  immediate,  easy,  joyous 
beholding  of  the  Lord  in  His  ftdlness.  The  Apostle  speaks 
of  the  veil — the  veil  of  Moses  that  is  taken  away.  Unto 
the  Jews  there  v/as  a  two-fold  veil.  In  the  first  place, 
there  was  a  veil  on  the  face  of  Moses,  and  then  there  was 
a  veil  on  their  hearts.  That  is  to  say,  the  revelation  of 
God  was  a  defective  one  in  the  Old  Testament  times. 
That  veil  is  taken  away,  and  God  has  revealed  Himself 
now  without  veil  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  His  only 
begotten  Son.  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  but 
the  only  begotten  of  the  Father — He  hath  revealed  Him. 
God  has  taken  away  the  veil :  God  has  revealed  Himself 
exactly  as  He  is  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth 
— in  His  life  upon  earth,  in  His  death  on  the  Cross,  and 
His  resurrection  from  the  dead.  "  He  that  hath  seen  Me, 
hath  seen  the  Father."  Oh,  what  a  wonderful  thingr  it  is 
that  when  we  read  the  sweet  story  of  old — the  Bible 
narrative  of  the  life  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — we  behold 
there,  God  !  This  is  God.  This  Jesus  reveals  unto  us  the 
Father.  E/ery  word  that  He  speaks  is  an  echo  out  of  the 
heart  of  the  living  God.  Everything  that  He  does,  every 
truth  that  He  proclaims,  .every  manifestation  of  His 
character  He  gives,  is  all  a  revelation  of  God.  He  and 
the  Father  are  one.  God  dwelleth  in  liorht  that  is  un- 
approachable  and  full  of  glory,  but  He  has  sent  Jesus 
Christ  to  reveal  unto  us,  and  we  behold  the  glory  of  God 


306  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   HOPE. 

in  Him  as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten,  full  of  grace 
and  truth.  Here  in  itself  there  is  a  test  of  the  state  of 
our  mind.  But  the  second  veil  was  the  veil  that  was  on 
their  hearts.  The  first  veil  was  that  the  revelation  itself 
was  a  defective  one.  God  spoke  by  the  prophets  at 
sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners  with  a  veil.  Now 
God  speaks  by  His  Son  without  a  veil.  But  the  second 
veil  was  on  their  hearts ;  that  is,  the  veil  of  sin,  the  veil 
of  selfishness,  the  veil  of  woildliness,  the  veil  of  unbelief, 
so  that  they  did  not  see  even  the  imperfect  revelation,  as 
now  when  they  are  reading  the  Law  the  veil  is  still  on 
their  hearts.  And  the  second  veil  is  also  on  the  heart  of 
every  unregenerate  and  unconverted  person.  Why,  dear 
friends,  is  the  Gospel  not  plain,  not  intelligible,  not 
attractive,  not  easy  ?  Why  then  do  so  many  people  not 
understand  it  ?  God  has  taken  away  the  veil.  The  face 
of  Christ  shines  forth  with  splendour  and  glory.  Then 
why  do  not  people  understand  it  ?  Because  there  is  a 
veil  on  their  hearts.  Who  puts  that  veil  there  ?  "  If 
our  gospel  is  hid" — if  the  message  which  we  declare  is 
not  understood — if  it  is  not  accepted — if  Christ  is  not 
seen  in  the  Word,  what  is  the  reason  ?  What  is  the 
reason  ?  The  Apostle  explains  it  to  us ;  and  he,  being 
inspired  of  God,  explains  it  to  us  truly.  It  is  that  the 
devil  binds  people  by  sin,  by  worldliness — that  he  blinds 
them,  and  prevents  them  from  looking  at  Christ  lest  they 
should  see  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  His  Son,  and 
seeing  that  glory,  should  repent  and  turn  from  sin  unto 
the  Lord  their  God.  That  is  the  reason — not  that  the 
gospel  is  not  plain.  "  If  our  gospel  is  hid,  it  is  hid  to 
them  that  are  lost,"  whom  the  god  of  this  world,  Satan, 
blinds,  lest  they  should  see  the  glory  of  God  in  Clirist. 
Now,  both  these  veils  are  taken  away.  The  one  was  taken 
away  eighteen  hundred  j^ears  ago,  when  God  sent  Jesus 
into  the  world.     The  other  is  taken  away  by  the  power  of 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE.  397 

the  Holy  Ghost,  when  we  individually  are  turned  unto  the 
Lord.  Therefore  there  is  a  behohhng  of  Jesus.  And 
this  shows  unto  us  that  the  seeing  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  something  that  depends  not  merely  on  the  object 
that  is  presented  before  us,  but  also  on  the  state  of  him 
that  is  to  behold.  And  thus  we  see  that  when  we  come 
to  be  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  there  shall  be  the 
perfect  beholding  of  Jesus,  because  our  hearts  shall  be 
perfectly  delivered  from  that  veil  which  is  now  upon 
them.  As  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  says,  "Blessed  are  the 
pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God."  Therefore,  it  is 
the  condition  of  the  heart,  it  is  our  spiritual  and  moral 
character  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is  our  faithfulness  in  that 
which  God  has  entrusted  to  us,  it  is  our  fighting  against 
sin,  the  world,  and  the  flesh — it  is  this  which  is  connected 
with  our  beholding  Jesus  Christ  even  now  upon  earth. 
But  when  we  shall  be  perfectly  delivered  from  the  bondage 
of  sin  and  of  corruption — when  there  shall  be  taken  away 
from  us  every  weight,  and  that  sin  of  unbelief  which  doth 
so  easily  beset  us — then  shall  we  behold  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  We  shall  see  Him,  because  He  shall  be  manifested 
unto  us  in  all  His  completeness;  we  shall  see  Him  per- 
fectly because  the  veil  shall  be  taken  away  from  our 
hearts,  and  everything  that  now  hinders  us  from  behold- 
ing. We  see  now  darkly,  as  through  a  glass.  So  even 
the  Apostle  Paul  had  to  confess.  Now  we  can  argue  from 
the  greater  to  the  less.  If  Paul  had  to  make  this  con- 
fession, how  much  more  we ;  because,  only  remember  the 
case  of  the  Apostle  Paul.  He  saw  Jesus  in  the  vision,  not 
merely  as  we  do  in  the  Word  and  by  faith;  but  Jesus 
appeared  unto  him.  That  vision  of  itself  would  not  have 
been  sufficient,  because,  as  the  Apostle  Paul  explains  it, 
God  revealed  His  Son  in  him.  If  Saul  had  merely  seen 
Christ  in  the  heavens,  and  heard  His  voice,  that  would 
never  have  converted  him.     What  converted  him  was  that 


398  THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE. 


afterwards  God  by  the  Holy  Ghost  revealed  in  the  heart 
and  conscience  of  the  Apostle  Paul  that  Jesus  was  Lord 
and  Christ,  and  that  in  Him  alone  forgiveness  of  sin  and 
eternal  life  can  be  obtained.  Notwithstanding  all  this, 
the  Apostle  Paul,  with  all  his  knowledge  and  experience, 
and  with  all  the  wisdom  which  was  given  unto  him,  and 
insight  into  the  Word  of  God,  confessed  all  his  life  that 
the  great  object  of  his  life  was  to  know  Christ;  and  then 
he  confesses  that  "  here  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  but 
then  we  shall  see  face  to  face " :  here  we  know  only  in 
fragments,  but  "  then  we  shall  know  even  as  we  are 
known."  And  therefore  the  seeing  Christ  as  He  is,  is 
something  which  is  connected  with  our  life  and  our 
strength.  And  in  this  respect  the  use  of  the  word  in 
Scripture  is  different  from  our  use  of  the  word.  We  do 
not  attach  much  importance  to  knowledge.  We  separate 
between  knowledge  and  what  is  to  be  produced  by  that 
knowledge.  We  say  a  man  may  know  a  number  of 
things,  and  yet  it  may  not  be  of  any  good  to  him.  But 
the  idea  which  the  Bible  has  of  knowledge  is  something 
not  merely  of  the  intellect,  or  of  the  imagination,  or  of 
the  memory.  The  knowledge  of  which  the  Bible  speaks 
is  a  thing  which  possesses  the  whole  mind  of  man  and  the 
whole  character  of  man,  so  that  the  man  that  knows  God 
possesses  God.  Why  is  it  made  a  promise  throughout  all 
the  prophets  that  the  time  is  coming  when  all  shall  know 
the  Lord?  "Then  shall  ye  know  the  Lord."  If  that 
knowledge  was  something  merely  of  the  intellect  and  of 
the  memor}^,  what  great  benefit  or  boon  Avould  it  be? 
Why,  it  might  only  aggravate  the  guilt  of  man ;  for  we 
all  are  aware  of  this,  not  merely  to  understand  a  thing  in 
our  mind,  and  to  remember  a  thing  with  our  memory,  if 
it  has  no  influence  upon  our  character,  is  no  real  benefit, 
but  only  an  aggravation  of  our  guilt.  But  when  the 
Bible   speaks   about   knowing  God,  it   means   possessing 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE.  399 

God.  For  instance,  "  This  is  our  eternal  life  " — ivhat  is 
eternal  life  ?  "  That  they  should  know  Thee,  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  Thou  hast  sent."  Then  this 
is  not  merely  a  thing  of  the  intellect,  but  it  is  life ;  it  is 
vital;  ifc  is  a  new  existence;  it  is  something  which  will 
change  the  whole  man — this  knowing  the  Lord. 

Then,  again,  we  are  told  that  when  we  look  unto  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  healed.  Then  this  seeing 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  something  that  affects  not 
merely  the  eye,  or  the  understanding,  or  the  mind,  but  it 
is  somethincr  which  takes  altogether  from  one  state  of 
existence  into  another  state  of  existence.  "  We  shall 
know  Him  even  as  we  are  known."  What  is  the  meaning 
of  that  ?  Oh,  we  are  not  able  fully  to  understand  what 
the  meaning  of  it  is ;  but  the  meaning  of  it  is  this, — that 
we  shall  not  merely  see  Christ,  but  by  seeing  Christ  we 
shall  more  and  more  become  one  with  Christ.  It  is  the 
communion  that  subsists  between  Christ  and  the  soul.  It 
is  the  knowledge  that  He  is  ours  and  that  we  are  His, — 
that  all  that  we  behold  in  Him  is  given  unto  us, — that 
He  has  taken  hold  of  us  even  as  we  have  taken  possession 
of  Him.  That  is  the  meaninsj  of  that  seeincr  Him.  We 
shall  know  Him  even  as  we  are  known  of  Him.  And 
thus  it  is  that  the  promise  that  is  given  unto  us  will  have 
an  immediate  effect  upon  us — that  beholding  Jesus  Christ, 
we  shall  be  like  unto  Him. 

Notice,  dear  friends,  a  thing  which  refers  to  all  the 
statements  of  the  Bible.  We  take  the  words  of  the  Bible, 
and  we  understand  them  according  to  the  common  use  of 
the  words  which  we  make  of  them  in  our  life  ;  and  there- 
fore we  find  it  necessary  always  to  put  a  codicil  to  them, 
a  caution,  a  supplement,  to  put  them  straight.  But  if  we 
understood  the  words  of  the  Bible  as  they  are,  as  God 
wishes  us  to  understand  them,  it  would  not  be  necessary 
to  put  any  such  caution.     For  instance, — 'justification." 


400  THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE. 


We  explain  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  and  then 
we  must  add,  "  But  a  man  that  is  justified  by  faith  will 
lead  a  holy  life."  The  Bible  does  not  require  that  to  be 
added.  It  is  a  matter  that  explains  itself,  because  from 
the  way  in  which  the  Bible  explains  justification  by  faith, 
he  cannot  but  lead  a  holy  life.  Again,  the  Apostle  John 
says,  "  Every  one  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth 
himself,  even  as  He  is  pure."  We  would  say,  "  This  hope 
is  set  before  you;  it  is  a  very  glorious  hope;  but  re- 
member, you  that  have  this  hope  ought  to  purify  your- 
selves." The  Bible  does  not  say  "  ought "  at  all,  because 
the  Bible  says  if  the  man  hath  this  hope  he  will  purify 
himself.  "  Every  one  that  hath  this  hope  purifieth  him- 
self, even  as  He  is  pure."  And  so  it  is  with  the  knowledge 
of  God.  If  we  understand  it  in  the  Bible  sense,  then  all 
the  consequences  of  it,  as  they  are  in  the  Bible,  will  natur- 
ally flow  from  it.  He  gives  unto  us  salvation.  How  ? 
Through  the  knowledge  of  His  name — through  the  know- 
ledge of  His  name.  And  therefore  it  is  that,  seeing  Christ 
as  He  is,  we  become  like  Him. 

What  is  the  inference  from  that  ?  That  in  proportion 
as  we  do  see  Christ  we  must  become  like  Him ;  and  in 
proportion  as  we  are  not  like  Jesus  Christ  we  have  never 
seen  Him.  It  is  not  that  you  must  add  the  second  to 
the  first,  but  the  first  does  not  exist  without  it.  As  the 
Apostle  says,  "  If  a  man  does  not  love  his  brother,  he  has 
not  seen  God."  He  has  "  not  seen  God."  What  does  he 
mean  by  that  ?  He  means  by  that,  that  if  he  has  seen 
God,  he  maist  love  his  brother.  We  say  a  man  has  seen 
God,  but  he  does  not  remember  that  he  also  ought  to  love 
his  brother.  The  Apostle  does  not  say  that.  On  the 
contrary,  he  says,  "  If  a  man  does  not  love  his  brother,  he 
has  never  seen  God."  Oh  that  we  may  enter  into  the 
reality  of  the  Word  of  God  I  Oh,  then  we  will  find  out, 
dear  friends,  that  we  have  a  great  many  things  to  learn — 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE.  401 


things  which  we  fancied  we  learnt  years  ago.  What  is 
the  meaning  of  repentance?  What  is  the  meaning  of 
conversion  ?  What  is  the  meaning  of  faith  in  Christ  ? 
What  is  the  meaning  of  justification  ?  What  is  the 
meaning  of  the  new  birth?  What  is  the  meaning  of 
beinof  washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  ?  Let  none  of  us 
think  that  we  have  learnt  these  things,  for  in  the  Word 
of  God  the  first  and  the  last,  the  beginning  and  the  end, 
are  all  inseparably  connected.  And  while  we  are  in  the 
flesh,  and  while  we  are  still  learners  and  disciples  upon 
earth,  this  must  be  our  great  and  our  humble  task  day 
by  day — that  we  may  know  Christ — that  we  may  k7Wiu 
Christ. 

And,  ia  conclusion,  let  me  say  a  word  unto  any  among 
us  who  do  not  know  Jesus,  but  who  wish  to  know  Jesus. 
What  description  can  one  give  of  the  terror  and  the 
blackness  and  the  misery  of  that  second  death,  but  simply 
to  say  that  you  will  be  excluded  from  Jesus  ?  There  must 
be  darkness  there,  because  Jesus  is  the  light.  There 
must  be  death  there,  because  Jesus  is  the  life.  There 
must  be  utter  helplessness  there,  because  Jesus  is  the  way. 
There  must  be  intense  ugliness  there,  because  Jesus  is 
the  beauty.  There  must  be  everything  inhuman  there, 
because  Jesus  alone  is  the  man  in  whom  humanity  can 
be  restored.  What  greater  joy  can  there  be  than  to 
behold  Jesus  ?  What  greater  misery  can  there  be  than 
not  to  behold  Jesus?  Onl}^  think  of  that.  However 
little  you  may  know  of  Jesus,  take  it  for  granted  :  believe 
it  on  the  testimony  of  God  in  His  Word.,  and  on  the  testi- 
mony of  all  godly  men  that  have  ever  lived :  all  is  in 
Jesus.  All  is  in  Jesus.  To  see  Him  is  life  and  joy,  and 
not  to  see  Him  is  unspeakable  misery. 

Now  if  a  man  wants  to  see  Jesus — and  even  those 
Greeks,  with  their  imperfect  knowledge,  said  unto  Philip, 
''  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus."     They  had  heard  sufficient  of 


402  THE   CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE. 

Jesus  to  arouse  their  curiosity.  And  you  remember  that 
little  man  Zacchseus,  who  was  anxious  to  see  Jesus, — how 
he  overcame  all  difficulties.  There  was  a  sycamore  tree, 
and  climbing  up  that  sycamore  tree,  he  was  waiting 
anxiously  until  Jesus  should  pass.  And  then  see  how  the 
Lord  Jesus  honours  and  rewards  and  acknowledges  even 
the  slightest  desire  that  is  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner  towards 
Him ;  for  when  He  came  near  to  Jericho  He  looked  up, 
and  He  invited  and  commanded  Zacchfeus  to  come  down, 
not  merely  to  see  Him,  to  catch  a  passing  glimpse  of  Him, 
but  because  Jesus  wished  to  be  his  guest,  and  to  abide  in 
his  house.  Oh,  do  try  and  find  some  sycamore  tree  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  Jesus ;  and  when  the  desire  of  your 
heart  is  to  see  Christ,  do  not  rest  until  that  desire  is 
fulfilled,  and  until  you  behold  Hiui,  the  Saviour,  the 
Sanctifier,  and  the  Lord  of  life  ! 


403 


THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST} 

"  And  when  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully  come,  they  were  all  with 
one  accord  in  one  place.  And  suddenly  there  came  a  sound 
from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing  mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the 
house  where  they  were  sitting.  And  there  appeared  unto  them 
cloven  tongues  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them.'' — 
Acts  ii.  1 — 3. 

rpHE  two  points  which  occupy  our  attention  this  morning 
-*-  are,  in  the  first  place,  the  Jewish  festivals;  in  the 
second  place,  the  outward  manifestations  and  signs  which 
accompanied  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

When  God  in  His  condescension  became  the  Creator,  He 
set  into  existence  space  and  time.  All  space  is  to  be  filled 
with  His  glory ;  heaven  and  earth  are  to  show  forth  His 
wisdom  and  His  power.  Throughout  the  whole  realm  of 
space  the  majesty  of  God  is  to  be  manifested  from  that 
centre  which  He  has  Himself  appointed.  "The  Lord  hath 
established  His  throne  in  the  heavens,  and  His  kingdom 
ruleth  over  all."  And  as  all  space  is  to  be  filled  with 
God,  so  the  Lord  also  is  the  Lord  of  all  time.  There  are 
ages — dispensations — of  immense  duration,  aion  after 
aion.  All  those  ages  are  to  be  filled  with  the  music  of 
God ;  and  as  God,  the  Creator,  is  the  Lord  of  these  ages, 
so  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son,  is  the  centre  of  the  ages,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  that  Spirit  wdiich  proceeds  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  who  in  all  ag^es  carries  out  the  sovereio^n 

1  Preached  in  the  Tiiiiity  Presbyterian  Church,  Ladbrooke  Road, 
Xottiug  Hill,  ou  Suuday  Morning,  February  17,  1877. 


404  THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST. 


counsel  of  God.  From  before  the  foundation  of  the  world 
the  Lamb  of  God  was  ordained,  and,  therefore,  of  all  the 
immense  space  which  God  has  called  iuto  existence,  the 
most  important  and  beautiful  spot  is  that  little  hill 
outside  Jerusalem  where  Jesus  was  crucified.  And  of  all 
the  ages  and  dispensations  which  from  before  the  throne 
of  God  continue  in  succession,  there  is  no  time  so  im- 
portant, which  shall  be  remembered  throughout  all  eternity, 
as  those  thirty-three  years  when  in  the  fullness  of  time 
the  Son  of  God  lived  upon  the  earth,  and  offered  Himself 
as  a  sacrifice  to  manifest  the  Glory  of  Jehovah.  Now 
when  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  have  revealed  to  us  the 
full  counsel  of  God,  we  are  able  to  look  upon  all  space 
with  a  feeling  of  confidence  and  of  homeliness,  and  we  are 
able  to  think  of  all  the  ages  both  which  have  gone  before 
and  which  are  yet  to  come  with  rejoicing  hope,  knowing 
that  Jesus  is  the  heir  of  all  ages,  and  that  throughout  all 
a^es  there  shall  be  ma'le  manifest  in  the  Church  unto 
all. the  creation  of  God,  the  manifold  riches  of  His  grace 
and  of  His  power.  When  God  created  the  world,  He 
created  in  six  days,  but  He  did  not  finish  creation  in  six 
days.  It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  the  world  was  created 
in  six  days,  and  that  after  the  creation  was  finished,  the 
seventh  day  was  the  day  of  rest ;  for  as  you  find  it  in  the 
second  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Genesis,  it  was  the  rest  of  God 
which  was  the  finishing  of  His  works.  It  was  on  the  seventh 
day  that  God  finished  all  His  works ;  but  if  God  had  only 
created  in  six  days,  and  if  there  had  not  been  the  seventh 
day  of  rest,  the  works  of  God  would  have  been  incomplete. 
He  who  out  of  His  fullness  went  forth  calling  things  into 
existence,  had  to  go  back  again  into  His  fullness  and  to 
take  all  those  that  He  had  created  into  His  own  bosom,  that 
within  Himself  they  should  have  life  and  joy  and  peace ; 
and  therefore  it  is  that  the  Lord  hallowed  the  Sabbath  Day, 
for  in  that  day  were  completed  the  works  of  God,  and  He 


THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST.  405 


liaJ  delight  in  all  the  things  that  He  had  made.  And 
when  God  afterwards  brought  the  children  of  Israel,  whom 
He  had  chosen  to  be  His  own  property,  out  of  Egypt,  the 
house  of  bondage,  He  commanded  them  to  remember  the 
Sabbath  Day  and  to  keep  that  holy,  thus  teaching  them 
that  that  Jehovah  who  had  brought  them  out  of  Egypt, 
the  God  of  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob,  was  not  merely 
their  God,  but  He  was  the  God  of  heaven  and  of  earth,  and 
therefore  the  Sabbath  Day,  as  it  commemorated  the  creation, 
so  it  also  brought  vividly  before  them  their  redemption, 
and  was  a  sign  between  Jehovah  and  His  people  that  they 
were  united  together.  And  as  God  aiDpointed  the  seventh 
day  to  be  kept  holy,  so  He  appointed  the  seventh  month  to 
be  holy  unto  Himself.  And  in  that  seventh  month  there 
was  the  feast  of  trumpets,  and  the  beginning  of  the  year, 
and  also  the  day  of  atonement.  And  as  the  seventh 
month  was  holy,  so  the  seventh  year  was  holy,  and  the 
earth  was  to  rest  from  its  toil  and  labour,  and  everything  that 
was  brouo^ht  forth  of  its  own  accord  was  to  be  free  unto 
the  poor  and  unto  the  stranger,  and  even  unto  the  beasts 
of  the  field.  And  as  the  seventh  year  was  holy,  so  the 
seven  times  seventh  year,  the  fiftieth  year,  was  the  year 
of  Jubilee,  where  again  there  was  to  be  no  labour,  where 
all  debts  were  remitted,  where  all  slaves  and  bondsmen 
were  emancipated,  and  where  there  was  to  be  great  joy 
throughout  the  whole  land,  ushered  in  on  the  evening  of  the 
day  of  atonement,  that  through  the  forgiveness  of  sin  there 
was  now  come  the  year  of  thanksgiving  and  of  rejoicing 
before  the  Lord.  It  was  the  seventh  day,  the  seventh 
month,  the  seventh  year,  and  the  fiftieth  year,  for  7  is  the 
holy  number — 3,  the  number  of  God — 4,  the  number  of  the 
world — 3,  the  number  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost — 4, 
the  number  of  the  created  thingrs,  the  four  livinsf  being^s, 
the  four  rivers  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  east  and  west,  and 
south  and  north,  the  four  corners  of  the  earth.     Seven, 


406  THE   FEAST   OF   PENTECOST. 

then,  is  the  number  of  God  in  the  creation,  and  thus  the 
whole  time  of  the  Israelitish  nation  was  a  time  that  was 
filled  with  music.  It  was  not  like  the  wilderness,  in  which 
there  was  no  division,  in  which  there  was  no  break.  It 
was  not  like  the  maze,  in  which  there  was  no  organization. 
It  was  not  like  mere  sound,  in  which  there  was  no  rhythm ; 
but  it  was  filled  with  manifestation  of  God,  and  with  the 
music  which  makes  glad  the  heart  of  man. 

But  besides  these  sevenths,  the  Jews  had  their  festivals. 
They  had  a  festival, — a  Passover, — when  God  brought  the 
children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt  through  the  sheddiog  of  the 
blood  of  the  Paschal  Lamb;  and  on  the  morrow  after  the 
Sabbath  of  the  Passover,  as  you  remember,  there  was  the 
beginning  of  the  harvest — the  barley  harvest — and  the  sheaf 
was  waved  from  earth  unto  God.  And  fifty  days  after  that 
there  was  the  Pentecost,  when  the  harvest  was  completed, 
and  when  the  two  loaves,  not  of  barley,  but  of  wheat,  not 
without  leaven,  but  with  leaven,  were  presented  unto  the 
Lord  ;  and  asfain  there  was  the  feast  of  the  tabernacles, 
reminding  the  Jews  of  the  time  when  they  had  been  in 
the  wilderness  living  as  it  were  in  tents  and  booths.  But 
thank sg^ivins:  unto  God  also  was  connected  with  that,  for 
the  vintage  was  over,  the  fruit  was  gathered  in,  and  also 
the  oil  had  been  brought  in.  In  all  these  festivals  Israel 
was  to  rejoice  before  the  Lord. 

Now  before  I  pass  on  to  the  meaning  of  these  festivals, 
let  me  remind  you  of  the  character  of  these  festivals. 

In  the  first  place,  there  was  joy  abounding  unto  the 
people.  God  is  the  God  of  love,  of  benevolence,  of 
generosity.  Although  sin  has  abounded  unto  death,  the 
love  of  God  abounds  unto  exceeding  great  joy.  There 
must  be  weeping  for  a  night,  but  "joy  cometh  in  the 
morning."  God  wants  us  to  be  restored  unto  paradise,  in 
which  there  was  fullness  of  pleasures  from  before  His 
presence ;  and  therefore  the  Jewish  religion  was  a  religion 


THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST.  40^ 


of  gladness.  There  were  few  fast  days.  There  were  many 
days  in  which  the  people  were  to  rejoice  before  God. 

Learn  also  that  God  wanted  to  impress  upon  Israel  that 
He  was  a  God  of  wealth  abounding.  Never  mind  about 
the  land.  God  will  take  care  of  the  land,  and  there  will 
be  a  three-fold  harvest  the  year  before  the  seventh.  Never 
mind  about  the  fiftieth  year.  There  will  be  no  impoverish- 
ing of  the  nation,  for  the  Lord  will  abundantly  make  up 
that  which  in  obedience  to  Him  is  done  unto  Him,  for  God 
wants  His  people  to  be  generous.  He  does  not  wish  them 
to  be  narrow-minded  and  close  calculators.  He  does  not 
wish  them  to  think  that  profit  and  loss  'and  political 
economy  are  altogether  governed  by  laws  of  supply  and 
demand,  or  the  laws  of  nature,  but  He  wishes  them  to 
remember  that  the  Lord  is  our  Host,  and  that  we  are  His 
guests,  and  that  He  has  provided  for  us  a  bountiful  and  a 
liberal  board,  and  He  wants  His  people  to  be  courageous 
and  enterprising  and  liberal,  and  to  go  forth  with  this 
thought,  "  He  who  condescends  to  be  our  God  and  the  joy 
of  our  soul,  will  He  not  provide  food  for  the  body  and 
raiment  to  put  on  ? " 

But  notice,  in  the  third  place,  all  the  festivals  of  Israel 
had  a  three-fold  aspect.  They  commemorated  the  past. 
God  brought  us  out  of  Egypt.  God  gave  unto  us  the  law. 
God  led  us  in  the  wilderness.  But  while  they  commemor- 
ated the  past,  they  realized  the  present  existence  of  God. 
*'We  now  rejoice  before  Him."  This  very  day  He  loves 
us,  and  looks  down  upon  us.  But  while  they  thus  realized 
the  present,  they  looked  forward  into  the  future,  for  all 
these  festivals  were  only  types  and  shadows  of  the  things 
that  were  to  come. 

And  now  let  me  speak  of  the  fulfilment.  For  "the 
body  is  Christ " ;  the  substance  is  Christ,  anticipated  by 
faith  in  the  olden  days,  but  noAV  realized  by  us  in  a  fuller 
measure. 


408  THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST. 

What  is  the  Sabbath  Day?  "Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that 
labour,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 
This  is  the  Sabbath  Day.  On  the  Sabbath  Days  the  Jews 
were  not  allowed  to  fast.  If  a  fast-day  happened  to  fall 
on  a  Sabbath  Day,  it  was  postponed,  for  when  we  rest  in 
God  how  is  it  possible  for  us  to  be  sad  ?  How  can  the 
children  of  the  bridechamber  fast  while  the  bridesfroom 
is  with  them  ? 

Look  at  the  Passover.  On  the  Passover  Jesus  was 
crucified.  The  Paschal  Lamb  was  offered  without  spot 
and  without  blemish.  Not  a  bone  of  His  sacred  body  was 
broken.  Exactly  as  the  type  had  prefigured  it,  so  was 
He  offered  up  unto  God.  And  on  the  morrow  after  the 
Sabbath  Day  He  came  forth  the  Sheaf,  the  Branch  out 
of  the  earth.  He  grew  up  as  it  were  before  Jehovah. 
Such  a  man  God  had  never  seen  before.  Oh,  what  a 
contrast  between  the  first  Adam  and  the  last  Adam ! 
"  The  first  Adam  a  living  soul ;  the  last  Adam  a  quicken- 
ing Spirit."  Suffering  and  death  were  behind  Him.  He 
had  died  once  unto  sin,  but  now  He  lived  unto  God. 
Here  is  the  glorious  Head  of  humanity  coming  forth  out 
of  the  earth,  a  sheaf  waved  from  the  earth  unto  God,  that 
He  might  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father.  But  not 
merely  was  He  this  sheaf;  He  was  the  Kepresentative 
Sheaf.  Christ  rose  from  the  dead,  the  first-fruits  of  them 
that  slept.  He  rose  out  of  the  grave  as  our  represent- 
ative. He  died  for  sins  which  were  not  His  own;  He 
rose  in  order  to  be  the  Pighteousness  of  His  people,  and 
in  Him  we  also  are  raised  and  brought  near  unto  God. 
Oh,  how  beautifully  is  the  Passover  fulfilled  unto  us ! 
Christ  our  Passover  is  offered  ;  Christ  the  first-fruits  of 
the  dead  is  risen.  We  are  brought  out  of  Egypt,  the 
house  of  bondage.  We  have  been  redeemed  with  the 
precious  Blood  of  the  Lamb  of  God. 

And  on  the  fiftieth  day  came  the  Pentecost.     On  that 


THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST.  409 

day  the  result  of  the  harvest — the  completion  of  the 
harvest — was  to  be  shown.  As  Jesus  said,  "  If  the  corn 
of  wheat  die  not  it  abideth  alone,  but  if  it  die  it  abideth 
not  alone,  but  bringeth  forth  fruit."  As  Jesus  said  when 
He  looked  upon  the  fields,  "  The  fields  are  white  unto 
harvest,"  so  there  were  now  the  first-fruits  of  all  the 
creatures  of  God  gathered  in,  in  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty  disciples — in  the  three  thousand  that  believed  and 
that  heard  the  counsel  of  God,  and  proclaimed  in  all  the 
various  languages  in  anticipation  of  that  final  harvest 
when  round  Israel  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be 
gathered  to  praise  and  to  magnify  the  Lord ;  whereas  the 
feast  of  tabernacles  remains  still  in  the  future,  when  all 
the  wilderness  and  pilgrimage  shall  have  come  to  an 
end,  and  when  the  Kingdom  of  God  shall  be  established 
upon  the  earth  in  outward  manifestation  and  beauty. 

Now  the  disciples  knew  that  the  Paschal  Lamb  had 
been  offered.  They  knew  that  Jesus  had  risen  from  the 
dead.  They  were  now  waiting  for  the  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  but  it  did  not  happen  until  the  day  of 
Pentecost  was  "  fully  come." 

Let  me  go  on  now  to  remind  you  of  those  outward 
manifestations  and  signs  which  accompanied  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

There  is  one  God ;  and  why  should  we  be  astonished  to 
find  that  one  and  same  God  everywhere,  both  in  the 
kingdom  that  is  visible,  and  in  the  kingdom  that  is  in- 
visible? See  how  God  did  not  allow  Israel  ever  to 
separate  between  the  things  which  are  seen  and  the 
things  which  are  not  seen — how  all  those  Jewish  festivals, 
although  they  commemorated  the  covenant  dealings  of 
God  with  His  people,  were  also  in  connection  with  the 
natural  seasons  of  the  year — with  the  harvest  which  God 
gave  unto  His  people — with  the  outward  blessings  with 
which  He  surrounded  them.     And  therefore  we  find  that. 

p  P 


410  THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST. 

ill  all  Scripture  the  believing  Israelite  sees  God  near  unto 
him.  It  is  the  same  God  to  him  who  appoints  the  sun, 
the  moon,  and  the  stars — who  gives  food  unto  the  ravens 
that  cry  unto  Him,  and  who  divided  the  waves  of  the  Red 
Sea  that  His  people  might  pass  through  them.  Now  do 
not  mistake  it.  The  Bible  does  acknowledge  the  kingdom 
of  nature.  The  Bible  does  acknowledge  that  there  are 
laws  of  nature.  If  the  Bible  did  not  acknowledge  that, 
there  would  be  no  miracle.  If  everything  is  mere 
accident,  nothing  is  mere  accident.  If  we  say  that  the 
converting  of  water  into  wine  at  the  marriage  of  Cana  is 
nothing  different  from  the  way  in  which  God  gives  us 
wine  in  the  grapes,  then  that  is  only  confusing  boundary 
lines  which  God  Himself  has  made.  There  is  a  kingdom 
of  nature;  there  are  the  laws  of  nature;  at  the  same 
time,  it  is  God's  kingdom,  and  it  is  the  laws  which  He 
has  established,  and  which  at  any  time,  if  it  pleases  Him 
in  His  infinite  wisdom  and  power.  He  may  suspend  in 
order  to  remind  us  of  His  existence,  and  to  teach  us  the 
more  important  lessons  of  the  spiritual  world.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  is  it  not  natural — is  it  not  reasonable  to 
suppose — that  there  will  be  a  parallelism  between  those 
two  kingdoms — that  the  God  of  creation,  the  God  of 
providence,  the  God  of  redemption,  and  the  God  of  final 
glory  will  be  the  centre  of  all  these  various  circles  ? 
When  we  are  told  that  before  the  foundations  of  the  world 
were  laid  Christ  was  set  up  in  the  counsel  of  God — nay, 
when  the  whole  creation,  the  six  days  and  the  seventh 
day,  are  full  of  illustrations  of  the  gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  how  can  it  be  otherwise  but  that  everywhere 
we  shall  see  the  wonderful  interference  of  God  at  certain 
times  ?  Therefore  in  history,  when  we  read  history — when 
we  read  of  the  wonderful  victory  that  the  Greeks  achieved 
over  the  prowess  of  the  East — when  we  read  of  the 
wonderful  way  in  which  the  Roman  Empire  was  estab- 


THE   FEAST   OF  J'ENTECOST.  .     411 


lished — this  is  what  people  call  profaae  history;  but  it  is 
sacred  history ;  it  is  the  going  forth  of  God  according  to 
the  redemption  plan.  It  is  with  reference  to  Jesus  that 
all  these  things  happen.  It  is  according  to  the  prophecy 
Avhich  God  gave  unto  His  chosen  servants.  It  is  to  bring- 
about  the  final  fifth  monarchy  when  Jesus  shall  rule  upon 
the  earth,  and  likewise  in  the  kingdom  of  nature.  Every 
Christian  must  rejoice  over  every  progress  of  science,  but 
every  Christian  must  feel  fully  established  in  his  own 
mind  that  it  is  the  Lord  who  is  God. 

Now  we  see  in  the  Old  Testament  that  the  ooinas  forth 
of  God  in  redemption  were  always  accompanied  with 
outward  visible  signs.  Take  for  instance  the  Exodus. 
What  is  the  most  important  thing  in  the  Exodus  ?  The 
Paschal  Lamb,  and  the  fact  that  it  was  God  who  brouaht 
out  His  people.  But  were  there  not  great  and  mighty 
signs  which  everj^body  could  see,  whether  he  was  a 
believer  or  not  ?  Was  not  the  river  Nile  turned  into 
blood  ?  Were  not  the  powers  of  nature,  as  it  were, 
summoned  in  order  to  show  forth  unto  the  Egyptians  the 
power  of  God  and  the  severity  of  God  ?  Was  not  the  Red 
Sea  divided  ?  Were  there  not  these  miracles  ?  They  are 
not  the  most  important,  but  they  are  as  it  vv'ere  shadows 
of  that  brightness  of  spiritual  power  which  God  shows 
forth.  Take  again  the  passing  of  the  children  of  Israel 
through  the  wilderness.  What  is  the  most  important 
thing  there?  That  God  led  them;  that  Christ  was 
among  them ;  that  faith  was  exercised.  But  were  there 
not  miracles?  Was  there  not  the  manna  from  heaven? 
Was  there  not  the  rock  that  gave  forth  the  water  ?  Was 
there  not  the  healing  through  looking  at  the  brazen 
serpent?  Again,  take  Elijah.  When  God  revealed  Him- 
self unto  Elijah,  was  there  not  the  earthquake  and  the  fire 
before  there  came  the  still  small  voice  ?  Or  when  Jesus 
was    born.     What    is   the    most   important  thing   there  ? 


412  THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST. 


y^hy,  nothing  can  for  a  single  moment  be  compared  to 
this — the   Word  was   made  flesh.     That   is  the    greatest 
miracle.     But  was  there  not  the  star,  a  miraculous  thing 
that  brought  the  wise  men  from  the  East  in  order  that 
they   might   worship  the    new-born   King  of  the   Jews  ? 
Take  again  when  Jesus  was  upon  the  earth.     Was  there 
not  a  voice  which  came  down  from  ?ieaven  and  said,  "  This 
is  My  beloved  Son,"  and  everybody  heard  that  voice  ?     It 
was  the  Bath-Kol,  as  the  Hebrews  called  it — an  audible 
voice  from  heaven.     The   people   said   it  thundered,  and 
some  said  an  angel  spake  unto  Him,  but  Jesus  said,  "  It 
was  for  your  sakes  that  this  voice  came  down."     Again, 
Avhen  Jesus   died  upon   the  cross.     Marvel   of  marvels ! 
God  incarnate  1     After  Jesus  died  there  were  great  out- 
ward manifestations  of  God's  power.     There  came  dense 
darkness  over  the  whole  land.     What  was  the  meaning  of 
that  ?     When  Jesus  first  appeared  preaching  the  gospel, 
the  prophecy  in  Isaiah  was  fulfilled,  "  The  people  that  sat 
in    darkness    have    seen    a   wonderful    light."     The   Jews 
rejected  Jesus.     When  they  put  Him  to  death  they  had 
rejected  Him.     Therefore  God,  the  Father,  sent  a  dense 
darkness  over  all  the  earth  in  order  to  symbolize  unto  the 
nation  that  in  the  rejection  of  Jesus  Israel  had  rejected 
the  sun,  the  fountain  of  all  light.     Then  the  veil  in  the 
temple   was   rent    in   twain.      What   was   that    to    show  ? 
That  the  access  into  the  holy  of   holies  had  been  made 
manifest.     Then  the   earth   quaked,  and   the   rocks  were 
rent.     What  was  that  to  show  ?     As  Haggai  says,  "  I  shall 
shake  the  earth  before  the  final  restoration  comes."     The 
death  of  Jesus  is  that  upon  which  the  whole  renovation  of 
the  earth  is  based.     Then  the  graves  were  opened,  and 
the  dead  men  went  forth  and  appeared  unto  their  friends 
in  the   holy  city.     What  was  the    meaning  of  that,  but 
that  Jesus  had  the  key  of  Hades,  and  that  the  just  men 
of  tlje  old  disj^ensation   were  made  perfect  through   the 


THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST.  413 

accomplishing  of  the  sacrifice  ?  So  we  have  in  all  the 
dealings  of  God  in  redemption  at  important  periods  of  the 
history  of  God's  people  outward  and  visible  signs.  And 
when  Jesus  will  come  again — who  knows  when  it  will  be  ? — 
but  when  Jesus  will  come  again  there  will  be  again  signs 
and  wonders  in  heaven  above  and  upon  the  earth  below. 
Men  shall  see  it  in  the  moon,  and  in  the  stars,  and  in  the 
rocks,  and  in  all  things  around  them  when  the  day  of  the 
Lord  is  approaching.  Therefore  we,  who  believe  in  God, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  one  Lord,  are  not  astonished 
at  all  those  wonderful  outward  signs  and  manifestations 
which  are  recorded  in  the  Word  of  God.  And  it  is  nothing 
but  the  latent  unbelief  in  the  heart  which  does  not  wish 
to  acknowledge  God  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth. 
Although  it  wishes  to  acknowledge  Him,  it  does  not  wish  to 
have  Him  near — does  not  wish  to  have  Him  come  again 
and  manifest  His  power ;  it  is  only  this  latent  unbelief  of 
the  heart  which  finds  fault  with  those  miracles  which  are 
recorded  to  us  in  Holy  Scripture. 

Now  let  us  look  at  the  outward  signs  which  accompanied 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"  Suddenly."  Suddenly.  They  had  been  praying  for 
ten  days,  and  yet  it  was  suddenly.  God  often  in  answer 
to  our  251'ayers  hesitates  as  it  were,  and  leaves  a  clear 
margin  in  order  to  show  that  He  does  it"  in  sovereignty, 
whenever  He  chooses,  in  order  to  remind  us  that  although 
it  is  through  our  prayers,  it  is  not  on  account  of  our 
prayers,  and  that  He  is  the  first  in  all  things. 

"  From  above."  Holy  disciples  had  now  quite  a  different 
view  of  above  from  what  they  had  before.  The  heavens 
were  now  opened  unto  them.  As  Jesus  said  unto 
Nathaniel — "  Henceforth  ye  shall  see  the  heavens  opened." 
Right  through  the  sky,  into  the  Holy  of  Holies,  they  were 
able  to  look  now  with  the  eye  of  faith.  Jesus  was  there 
— the  same  Jesus  whom  they  had  known  upon  the  earth. 


414  THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST. 


Ob,  how  homely  was  heaven  to  them!  "In  My  Father's 
house  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you,"  The  very  Jesus 
Avho  was  above  all  blessings  will  now  come  down,  and  the 
manifestations  addressed  themselves  to  the  ear  and  to  the 
eye.  There  was  a  sound  as  of  a  mighty  rushing  wind. 
Notice  the  caution  of  Scripture.  It  does  not  say  it  was 
a  wind,  but  "  as  of!'  It  says  it  was  like  fire ;  that  is  to  say, 
the  human  words  by  which  we  can  express  that  reality 
which  appeared — the  most  approximate  expressions  for  it — 
are  to  say  that  it  was  like  the  mighty  rushing  wind,  or  it 
was  like  fire.  The  wind,  you  know,  is  the  emblem  of  the 
Spirit  of  God.  First,  it  is  mysterious  and  sovereign, 
beyond  our  control.  "  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth." 
Thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  thou  knowest  not 
whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth.  Besides  its  being 
mysterious,  it  is  full  of  power.  We  cannot  see  the  wind. 
It  may  come  very  gently,  as  it  were  on  the  curls  of  a 
little  infant,  and  not  disturb  them,  but  it  may  come  with 
a  mighty  and  irresistible  energy.  The  wind  is  also  an 
emblem  of  the  life-giving  power  of  God.  As  in  the  thirty- 
seventh  chapter  of  Ezekiel  the  prophet  beheld  the  many 
bones  that  were  very  dry  scattered  upon  the  field,  and  the 
wdnd  arose  and  breathed  upon  them,  even  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord,  and  they  were  quickened,  and  stood  up,  a  mighty 
army.  Or,  again,  it  may  be  animating,  arousing,  and 
alarming.  "  Awake,  O  north  wind,  and  come,  thou  south  ; 
blow  upon  my  garden,  that  the  spices  thereof  may  flow 
out.  Let  my  beloved  come  into  His  garden,  and  eat  His 
pleasant  fruits."  The  rushing  mighty  wind  came  down 
from  heaven,  and  made  Himself  felt  in  the  whole  of  the 
house. 

The  second  emblem  was  fire.  Ah,  dear  friend,  through 
the  winter  nights  when  you  are  looking  into  the  fire,  does 
it  not  remind  you  of  something  ?  God  is  the  fire — emblem 
of  purity.     In  God  is  nothing  but  light  and  purity.     God 


THE  FEAST  OF  PENTECOST.  415 

is  fire.  "Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  The  holiness 
of  God,  which  separates  from  itself  everything  that  is 
impure,  which  must  consume  everything  that  is  ungodly — 
wherever  the  love  of  God  expresses  itself  as  the  fire  of 
wrath.  Fire  is  the  emblem  of  brightness  and  of  heat, 
bringing  with  it  life  and  fervour.  Fire  also  is  the  emblem 
of  that  which  cannot  but  communicate  itself,  even  as  the 
light  cannot  remain  in  itself — must  go  forth,  and  bring 
light  and  gladness  unto  others.  Do  you  remember  how 
Moses  when  he  was  minding  the  sheep  of  his  father. 
Jethro,  saw  a  great  marvel  in  the  wilderness — a  marvel- 
lous phenomenon — a  bush  burning  and  yet  not  consumed  ? 
And  out  of  the  fire  of  that  bush,  who  spoke  unto  him  ? 
God  spoke  unto  him — God  the  Son,  the  angel  of  the 
covenant,  that  led  Israel  through  the  wilderness.  Do  you 
remember  the  blessing  that  was  given  to  Joseph — the 
favour  of  Him  that  was  in  the  bush  ?  Christ  was  in  the 
bush  ;  and  the  burning  bush  is  not  so  much  an  emblem 
of  the  Church  as  an  emblem  of  the  Son  of  God  taking 
upon  Him  our  humanity,  entering  in  His  humanity  into 
the  fire  of  God's  holiness  and  yet  not  consumed,  for  through 
the  atonement  of  Jesus,  the  fire  of  God  unto  them  is 
now  a  fire  of  blessing — a  fire  of  life  and  a  fire  of  strength. 
And  thus  was  it  that  the  Holy  Ghost  came  in  His  outward 
manifestations  of  the  wind  and  of  the  fire. 

Now,  in  conclusion,  let  me  ask,  have  you  received  the 
wonderful  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost — the  wonderful  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost?  Jesus  only  is  able  to  give  it.  But  let 
me  say  to  any  among  you  who  do  not  know  the  wonderful 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  there  is  no  preparation  on  your 
part  needed  for  receiving  it.  There  is  no  delay.  There 
are  no  conditions  laid  down.  Jesus  is  willing  and  able  to 
give  the  Holy  Ghost  unto  every  one  that  comes  unto  Him. 
Oh,  do  you  not  remember  that  beautiful  hour  when  Jesus 
our  Saviour  sat  thus  on  the   well,   and    when  the  poor 


41G  THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST. 

woman  of  Samaria  came  there,  ignorant,  thoughtless^ 
frivolous,  sinful,  and  Jesus  said  unto  her,  ''If  thou  knewest 
the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  unto  thee.  Give 
Me  to  drink,  thou  wouldest  ask  Him,  and  He  would  give 
unto  thee  living  water  "  ?  So  with  every  one,  and  any  one 
that  knows  the  gift.  "If  thou  knewest" — if  you  knew 
there  is  such  a  person  as  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  Saviour 
of  sinners,  sender  forth  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  alone  can 
give  rest  unto  those  who  are  burdened  and  heavy-laden  ; 
who  alone  can  give  pardon  unto  those  that  liave  sinned 
against  God  ;  who  alone  can  open  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
to  the  guilty  and  tliose  that  have  departed  from  the  Lord. 
"If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,"  purchased  with  blood, 
coming  out  of  the  sovereign  free  goodwill  of  the  Father. 
"  If  thou  knewest  the  ©ift  of  God." 

But  knowing  is  not  eiiough.  All  of  you  know  it.  You 
must  ask,  you  must  wish  it.  You  must  not  merely  say, 
"  It  is  a  desirable  thing,"  but  '*  I  wish  it."  You  must  not 
merely  say,  "  I  wish  it,"  but  you  must  say,  "  I  will  it." 
You  must  not  merely  say,  "  I  will  it,"  but  you  must  say 
"  I  will  lose  anything  and  everything,  but  I  must  get  that." 
You  must  not  merely  say,  "  I  must  get  it,"  but  you  must 
say,  *'  It  is  for  Him  to  give  it.  I  have  no  claim  on  it.  I 
will  ask  Him.  I  will  ask  Him."  "If  thou  knewest  the 
gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  unto  thee,  Give  Me 
to  drink,  thou  wouldest  have  asked  Him,  and  then,  without 
any  delay  or  uncertainty,  He  would  give  unto  thee  that 
living  water." 

And  oh,  what  a  blessed  thing  when  we  have  come  to 
Jesus — when  we  have  entered  in  by  the  door,  and  when 
we  have  received  from  Him  the  living  water !  You 
remember  the  beginning  of  that  wonderful  poem  of  Dante, 
when  he  describes  the  gate  of  hell  and  the  inscription  on 
that  gate.  '*  Give  up  all  hope,  ye  who  enter  here."  Ah, 
there  is  another  dooi,  Jesus  the  crucitied  and  now  exalted 


THE  FEAST   OF  PENTECOST.  417 

Redeemer,  leading  unto  heaven,  and  on  that  door  is  written, 
"  Give  up  nMfear,  all  ye  that  enter  here ; "  and  the  moment 
we  have  entered  in  through  that  open  door,  and  are  inside 
the  door,  and  look  back  on  the  other  side  of  the  door,  we 
read  this  inscription,  "  None  of  those  who  have  entered  in 
can  ever  be  lost."  Jesus  will  take  care  that  if  you  have 
once  entered  in  by  the  door  you  will  never  be  lost,  for 
"  My  sheep  heai-  My  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they 
follow  Me,  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they 
shall  never  perish,  nor  shall  any  one  pluck  them  out  of  My 
hands."  Jesus  seals  us  with  His  Holy  Spirit  unto  the  day 
of  Redemption.  Oh,  that  we  also  may  know  the  day  of 
Pentecost  fully  come  !     Amen. 


418 


THE    WISE    VIRGINS} 

T  WISH  to  speak  to  you  this  morning  on  the  wise 
■^  virgins,  and  especially  that  which  distinguishes  the 
wise  virgins  from  the  foolish  virgins.  All  the  ten  appeared 
as  virgins.  All  the  ten  went  forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom. 
All  the  ten  had  lamps  in  their  hands,  and  the  lamps  were 
burning.  All  the  ten  slumbered  and  slept.  What  then 
was  the  difference  between  the  w^ise  virgins  and  the 
foolish  virgins  ?  The  difference  is  mentioned  by  our  Lord 
in  these  simple  words — that  the  wise  took  oil  in  their 
vessels  with  their  lamps.  This  and  this  only  constituted 
the  difference  upon  which  such  might}^  and  awful  issues 
depend.  The  wise  had  not  merely  lamps  burning,  but 
the  wise,  foreseeing  the  delay,  took  also  in  the  vessels 
which  belonged  to  the  lamps  a  supply  of  oil. 

And  this,  dear  friends,  is  the  one  point  of  which  I 
would  speak  to  you  to-day.  You  know  that  there  are 
more  warnings  addressed  in  the  Word  of  God  to  professing 
believers  than  even  to  the  wicked  and  the  worldly.  There 
are  more  passages  in  Scripture  which  are  addressed  to 
those  who  appear  to  be  believers  and  who  think  them- 
selves believers,  showing  them  the  possibility  that  in  the 
sight  of  God  they  are  unsaved,  and  that  their  final  end 
will  be  destruction. 

Those  who  do  not  receive  the  Word  of  God  at  all  are  not 

Preached   in    Belgrave    Presbyterian    Church,    on    Sunday   Morninij, 
July  1,  1883. 


THE    WISE    VIRGINS.  419 


treated  of  by  our  Lord  in  the  parable  of  the  sower ;  but  of 
those  who  do  receive  the  Word  of  God,  He  tells  us  that 
three  classes  receive  it  in  vain,  and  that  only  one  class 
receive  it  in  reality.  "Not  every  one  that  says  unto 
the  Lord,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  Not  merely  a  few,  but  many  who  profess  to  be 
believers  in  the  Name  of  Jesus,  who  liave  even  the  gift  of 
explaining  the  gospel,  who  are  even  successful  in  the  work 
of  the  gospel — many  shall  appear  in  that  day  to  have  had 
only  the  form  of  godliness  without  the  power.  The  opinion 
of  your  fellow-believers  does  not  decide  the  matter;  for  he 
who  was  admitted  to  the  marriage  feast  was  considered  by 
every  one  to  be  fit  until  the  Lord  Himself  came  and  asked, 
"  Friend,  how  camest  thou  hither,  not  having  on  a  wedding 
garment  ? "  Even  among  the  twelve  apostles  one  of  them 
was  Judas  the  son  of  perdition.  And  of  ten  virgins,  five 
were  wise,  and  five  foolish ;  not  in  the  estimation  of  the 
world,  and  very  likely  not  in  their  own  estimation,  but  in 
the  estimation  of  Him  "  who  searcheth  the  hearts,  and 
trieth  the  reins." 

Now  when  we  think  of  this,  the  question  arises  in  our 
minds,  whether  we  have  any  life  within  us,  and  any  anxiety 
about  our  future  salvation.  "  Lord,  is  it  I  ?  "  If  we  re- 
member that  not  all  who  are  called  are  roused — that  not 
all  who  are  roused  are  convinced — that  not  all  who  are 
convinced  are  brought  to  believe  in  Jesus — that  not  all 
who  appear  to  believe  in  Jesus  really  do  believe  in  Jesus 
— oh,  then  the  question  must  arise  in  our  mind,  "  What 
is  that  all-important,  all-decisive,  mysterious  element 
known  only  to  God,  which  distinguishes  the  precious  from 
the  vile,  and  the  chosen  from  those  who  shall  ultimately 
be  lost  ? "  No  doubt  this  is  the  impression  ^vhich  the 
parable  of  the  ten  virgins  leaves  upon  every  one  with 
whom  God's  Spirit  is  dealing  at  all ;  but,  if  the  impression 
that  was  left  was  merelv  one  of  fear  and  of  terror,  it  would 


420  THE   WISE    VIRGINS. 


not  be  the  impression  which  is  intended  by  the  Holy 
Ghost;  for  fear  contracts  the  heart,  and  when  the  heart 
is  contracted,  then  there  is  no  communion  with  God.  It 
is  by  the  heart  being  opened,  expanded,  melted — it  is  by 
the  heart  trusting,  by  the  heart  going  forth  in  confidence, 
that  the  work  of  salvation  in  the  soul  is  begun,  continued, 
and  completed.  That  paralyzing  fear  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  gospel,  but  belongs  to  the  law.  It  was  that  fear 
which  took  hold  of  the  unprofitable  servant,  who  said — 
"  Oh,  salvation  is  no  easy  matter.  Salvation  is  a  very 
solemn  matter.  There  are  a  great  many  risks  that  are 
possible  here ;  and  therefore,  knowing  that  the  Lord  is  a 
severe  master,  I  will  be  very  careful  that  I  keep  the  talent 
entrusted  to  me."  And  he  became  an  unprofitable  servant, 
and  was  cast  out  into  the  outer  darkness.  Then  what  is 
to  be  the  effect  of  this  parable  on  you — on  me  ?  It  is  to 
be  this — that  with  our  fear,  with  our  misgiving,  with  our 
consciousness  of  our  own  sinfulness,  and  of  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  our  hearts,  we  should  be  sincerely  dealing  with 
God  Himself:  we  should  oo  into  the  lidit  of  God:  we 
should  deal  with  our  heavenly  Father,  who  is  full  of  love, 
and  with  that  Saviour  who  died  on  the  Cross,  and  who 
is  full  of  mercy  and  compassion,  and  be  intensely  interested 
about  our  salvation  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  Jesus 
Christ;  and  knowing  that  this  must  be  the  secret  life 
from  our  apparent  conversion  even  until  we  end  and  stand 
before  Jesus, — that  all  the  time  we  are  having  our  calling 
and  our  election  confirmed  unto  us,  and  that  all  the  time 
we  are  in  communion  with  God,  and  that  all  the  time 
there  is  a  secret  betw^een  the  Shepherd  and  the  sheep,  so 
that  Jesus  says,  "I  am  known  of  Mine,  and  I  know  them," 
so  that  at  the  last  what  has  gone  on,  point  to  point,  day 
to  day,  forms  one  continuous  line  until  Jesus  says — and 
says  before  the  whole  world — "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  My 
Father,  and  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you. ' 


THE    WISE    VIRGINS.  421 

Two  points  in  Christ's  history  stand  out  pre-eminentl3\ 
One  is  when  He  died  upon  the  Cross,  and  shed  His 
precious  BJood  for  remission  of  sins.  That  is  the  love  of 
Christ  in  dying,  "the  just  for  the  unjust."  "  Greater  love 
hath  no  man  than  this."  Greater  love  there  is  not,  even 
in  the  depths  of  Godhead.  Greater  sacrifice  never  will  be 
beheld  by  this  universe.  The  highest  point,  the  culmin- 
ating point,  of  the  love  of  God  is  on  the  Cross  of  Christ. 
Throughout  all  eternity  there  will  be  nothing  grander; 
there  will  be  nothing  more  beautiful  and  glorious  to  be 
thouofht  of  than  the  death  of  Jesus  on  the  Cross.  On  the 
other  side  of  eternity  there  is  nothing  more  wonderful 
than  what  you  are  going  to  commemorate  this  very 
morning.  Throughout  all  eternity  angels  and  saints  will 
know  no  other  subject  of  praise  and  of  adoration  but  the 
Blood  of  the  Lamb  that  was  slain. 

But  as  this  is  the  one  point,  so  the  other  point  is  the 
return  of  Jesus,  when  He  will  bring  everlasting  blessed- 
ness and  glory  to  all  that  wait  for  His  appearing.  When 
we  think  and  feel  these  two  points,  then  we  have  the 
whole  influence  of  J3ivine  life  and  power  acting  upon 
ourselves — the  love  of  the  past,  the  glory  of  the  future — 
the  death  of  Jesus  on  the  Cross — the  appearing  of  Jesus 
for  His  Bride.  This  is  the  fire  of  gratitude,  and  of  love, 
and  of  devotedness,  and  this  is  the  fire  of  anxiety  to 
please  Him,  and  of  hope  and  of  perseverance.  \Yithout 
these  two  we  cannot  live  properly,  and  therefore  the 
Lord's  Supper  is  all-comprehensive.  If  the  Lord's  Supper 
is  that  one  institution  by  which  Jesus  Christ  nourishes 
and  cherishes  the  Church,  which  is  His  Body,  it  is  simply 
because  it  brings  before  us  these  two  points  —  Christ's 
death  on  the  Cross,  and  Christ's  appearing  to  take  us 
unto  Himself,  Without  the  death  of  Christ  on  the  Cross 
there  is  no  Christian  life.  Without  the  expectation  of  the 
return  of  Jesus  there  is  no  healthful  Christian  life.    Those 


422  THE    WISE    VIRGINS. 


two  must  go  together.  When  the  Church  forgets  the 
Atonement,  and  when  the  Church  forgets  the  second 
advent  of  the  Lord,  it  has  reached  its  freezing-point.  In 
the  Blood  is  the  Hfe  of  the  Church ;  and  in  personal  love 
to  Jesus,  and  waiting  for  His  return,  is  the  life  of  the 
Church. 

The  ten  virgins  went  forth  to  meet  the  Bridegroom. 
Look  at  the  wise  virgins  as  we  see  them  now  in  the 
light  of  eternity,  and  as  we  see  them  now  with  the  eyes 
of  Jesus.  They  had  been  separated  from  the  world. 
They  had  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.  They  had 
chosen  Jesus  to  be  the  lover  of  their  soul.  They  were 
waiting  now  for  His  appearing,  and  for  their  entry  into 
the  full  enjoyment  and  fruition  of  the  blessing  which  was 
already  theirs.  Lamps  they  had  in  their  hands,  and  the 
lamps  were  burning  ;  but  their  desire  was  not  merely  to 
appear  to  be  Christians  :  their  desire  was  to  be  Christians. 
Their  anxiety  was  not  merely  for  the  present  moment. 
Their  desire  was  to  have  within  them  that  which  would 
last  and  endure ;  and  therefore  it  was  that,  besides  having 
the  oil  burning  in  the  lamp,  they  had  provided  themselves 
also  with  oil  to  last  them  through  the  long  delay.  To 
please  the  bridegroom — to  be  really  in  communion  with 
Him — to  have  that  which,  unknown  and  unobserved  of  the 
world,  was  known  and  observed  by  Him,  and  which  would 
ever  stand  by  them  through  all  the  various  experiences 
and  vicissitudes  of  their  course — that  was  their  anxiety. 

Now  the  brideojroom  tarried,  and  while  the  brideo^room 
tarried  all  the  virgins  fell  asleep.  Yet  there  was  a  differ- 
ence between  the  sleep  of  the  wise  virgins  and  the  sleep 
of  the  foolish  virgins.  Oh,  dear  friends,  our  natural  life 
requires  sleep,  and  sleep  is  no  loss  of  time  for  our  physical 
life  or  for  our  mental  life,  because  the  rest  is  necessary  in 
order  that  the  energies  both  of  body  and  of  mind  should 
be  recruited,  and  that  then  we  should  be  able  to  begin  a 


THE   WISE    VIRGINS.  42.*^ 


new  course.     Not  until  we  have  new  bodies  and  perfected 
souls  shall  we  be  able  to  serve  the  Lord  day  and  night 
without  any  intermission.     In  this  outward  life  of  ours 
sleep  is  a  blessing.     Sleei^  is  no  loss  of  time.     Sleep  does 
not  weaken  us.     But  in  the  spiritual  life  there  ought  not 
to  be  a  moment  of  sleep,  for  the  night  is  past,  and  the  sun 
is  shining,  and  Jesus  is  the  light ;  and  He  has  given  to  us 
in  Himself  a  fullness  out  of  which  we   are  to  take  con- 
tinually, and  grace  for  grace.     Then  we  are  not  to  close 
our  eyes ;  and  not  to  give  in  to  dreams  and  imaginations, 
aud  not  to  be  separated  from  communion  with  Him.     Tlie 
sleep  into  which  the  wise  virgins  fell  may  have  been  a 
culpable  sleep.     There  is  the  enchanted  ground,  and  even 
Christians  often  are  influenced  by  the  fascinations  of  the 
world — by  the  false  notions  of  the   world — by  the   low 
standard  that  is  in  the  Church.     And  there  are  times  in 
the  life  of   most  Christians  when,  owing   either  to  the 
enjoyments,  or  to  the  many  occupations,  or  to  the  troubles 
of   this   our   present  earthly  life,   they  become    dead    to 
Christ,  lukewarm,  confused    in  their  minds,  not  hearincf 
distinctly  His  voice ;   and  mingled  visions,  indistinct  and 
vague  and  erroneous,  come  into  their  thoughts,  so  that  the 
voice   of   God  and  the  voice  of  the  world  are  heard  in 
confusion.     Ah,  then  the  wonderful  compassion  of  Jesus 
watches  over  His   poor  and   guilty  one,  and  it  may  be 
through  severe   chastening  and  bitter  experience  such  a 
one  is  brought  back  again  to  allegiance  to  his  Saviour. 
But  it  is  possible  that  this  sleep  of  the  wise  virgins  was 
like  the  sleep  of  Peter,  John,  and  James,  when  Jesus, 
scarcely  rebuking  them,  said   unto   them,  "  Can  you  not 
watch  even  one  hour  with  Me  ? "      However   that   may 
have  been,  it  was  a  different  sleep  from  the  sleep  of  the 
foolish  virgins,  for  when  the   wise  virgins  were  aroused 
by  the  voice,   "The    bridegroom    cometh,"  there  was  no 
consternation  in  their  mind.     Gladly  they  rose.     Collected 


424  THE    WISE    VIRGINS. 

were  their  thoughts.  Fixed  was  their  affection.  Sure 
was  their  faith.  And  they  trimmed  their  lamps.  And 
as  a  smile  irradiates  the  countenance  of  one  who  sees 
a  long-missed  friend  again,  so  the  oil  went  through  their 
whole  mind  and  soul,  and  with  renewed  strength  and 
renewed  joy  they  went  forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom.  "  I 
sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh."  So  says  the  bride  in  the 
Song  of  Solomon,  and  such  may  have  been  the  sleep  of 
these  five  virgins.  But  when  they  were  roused  by  the 
voice,  they  were  collected :  they  had  oil  in  their  lamps : 
they  were  ready;  and  they  went  in,  and  they  became 
partakers  of  the  joy  of  the  bridegroom,  for  they  had  been 
wise  virgins  who  had  taken  oil  in  their  vessels  with  their 
lamps. 

Now  what  was  the  oil,  and  what  was  the  takinof  of  the 
oil  in  the  vessels  ?  In  the  parable  of  the  Steward,  what 
the  Lord  wishes  to  show  to  us  is  faithfulness  in  service. 
In  the  i^arable  which  is  afterwards  mentioned,  of  the 
Judgment,  when  all  the  nations  of  the  world  appeared 
before  the  throne  of  God,  what  the  Lord  wishes  to  im- 
press upon  our  minds  is  mercifulness  during  this  present 
dispensation  to  all  who  are  poor  and  needy,  or  lonely  or 
sick — faithfulness  in  service — mercifulness  during  this 
dispensation  of  affliction  and  trial.  But  in  the  parable 
of  the  Virgins  our  Lord  does  not  dwell  upon  the  outward 
action,  or  upon  the  dispensing  of  those  gifts  which  we 
have  received.  He  dwells  upon  the  inward  state  and 
condition.  It  is  the  inward  condition  of  the  five  virgins 
which  is  brought  before  us,  and  that  is  symbolized  by  the 
fact  that  they  had  oil  with  their  lamps.  In  one  word, 
they  were  spiritually-minded;  and  to  be  spiritually- 
minded  is  the  only  way  of  being  watchful.  Not  by 
studying  prophecy, — not  by  being  like  the  Apostles,  gazing 
into  heaven  when  they  saw  Jesus  disappear  in  the  sky, 
but  by  having  oil  in  the  vessel  with  the  lamps — by  being 


THE    WISE    VIRGINS.  425 


spiritually-minded — by  being  in  communion  with  the 
Lord  continually,  and  by  treasuring  up  unto  ourselves, 
through  continuous  dealings  with  God,  we  attain  to  that 
state  of  watchfulness,  of  collectedness,  and  of  joy  fulness, 
that  whenever  the  Lord  Jesus  comes  we  are  ready  to  go 
in  with  Him  to  the  marriage. 

The  key  to  explain  to  us  the  taking  of  the  oil  in  the 
vessels,  and  having  a  reserve  fund,  is  given  to  us  in  the 
passage  in  the  Second  Epistle  of  Peter,  which  we  have 
read  to-day.  All  things  which  pertain  to  life  and  godliness 
are  ^Aven  to  us  in  Christ  Jesus.  When  a  man  is  con- 
verted — when  a  man  is  brought  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
— there  is  in  that  Jesus  Christ  everything  that  he  needs  : — 
pardon  for  his  sins — renewal  for  his  heart — strength  for 
his  energies — purpose  for  his  will — knowledge  for  his 
mind ;  all  patience,  all  watchfulness,  all  meekness,  all 
power  of  forgiving  the  trespasses  of  his  neighbour.  There 
is  no  sin  but  he  can  overcome  ;  there  is  no  temptation  but 
he  can  resist  and  conquer ;  there  is  no  grace  but  he  can 
take  it  out  of  the  fullness  of  Christ ;  there  is  no  difficult 
task  but  he  can  perform  it,  for  all  things  which  pertain 
unto  life  and  godliness  are  treasured  up  in  Christ  Jesus. 
But  this  he  must  do.  He  must  not  be  like  the  foolish 
virgins,  and  say,  ''  Oh,  I  am  converted  :  I  am  so  happy. 
Do  you  not  see  that  my  lamp  is  burning  ?  " — more  bent 
upon  appearing  to  be  a  Christian  than  on  being  a 
Christian — more  bent  on  having  peace  and  enjoyment 
and  consolation  for  his  soul  than  really  pleasing  the  Lord, 
and  having  communion  with  Him.  Then  begins  his  real 
work.  Why,  up  to  this  you  have  not  been  able  to  do 
anything  but  mischief.  Now  begins  the  real  work. 
Seeing  that  He  has  given  unto  us  all  things  which  pertain 
to  life  and  godliness,  bring  out  of  these  one  thing  after 
the  other.  To  faith,  add  virtue ;  to  virtue,  add  knowledge ; 
and  to  knowledge,  add  temperance;  and  to  temperance, 

E  E 


426  THE    WISE    VIRGINS. 

add  brotherly  love;  and  to  brotherly  love,  add  charity. 
Bring  out  what  is  given  to  you  in  Christ  first.  Or  again, 
as  the  Apostle  Paul  writes  to  the  Philippians,  "  Because  I 
love  you.  I  have  you  in  my  heart ;  but  I  am  confident  of 
this  very  thing,  that  he  who  hatli  begun  a  good  work  will 
perform  it  unto  the  day  of  Christ " — not  with  paralyzing 
fear  which  the  unprofitable  servant  had,  but  the  heart 
expanded  in  truthfulness  to  Jesus,  who  died  for  us,  and 
who  surely  loves  us  much  more  now  that  He  has  brought 
us  unto  Himself.  And  he  says,  "  I  am  anxious  that  you 
should  increase  more  and  more  in  all  knowledge ;  that  you 
should  approve  the  things  that  are  excellent ;  and  that  you 
should  be  found  to  be  sincere  and  without  blame  in  the 
day  of  Christ,  being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness, 
which  are  not  of  your  exertion,  but  by  Christ  Jesus,  to  the 
glory  of  God."  This  having  the  reserve  fund — the  oil  in 
the  lamp — is,  that,  according  as  the  Apostle  Peter  teaches 
us,  and  according  as  the  Apostle  Paul  teaches  us,  we  are 
trusting  in  Jesus,  abiding  in  Jesus,  going  daily  to  Jesus, 
leaning  on  Jesus,  and  treasuring  up  to  ourselves  continually 
more  light,  more  love,  more  faith,  more  patience,  more 
self-denial,  more  forgivingness,  more  meekness,  more  self- 
control,  more  everything  that  is  like  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  They  took  oil  with  them  in  their  vessels  with  the 
lamp.  Not  for  the  world  to  see  or  admire.  It  was  a 
secret  between  them  and  the  Lord.  Oh,  if  you  love  any 
one  very  much,  you  do  like  to  speak  to  him  without  any 
third  person  being  present.  It  is  a  secret  between  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  soul.  Enoch  walked  with  God. 
Oh,  how  simple  is  this  expression,  yet  how  delightful,  how 
perfectly  self-illuminating !  Enoch  walked  with  God  ;  and 
if  we  walk  with  God,  every  day  must  be  progress  :  every 
day  must  be  a  renewal :  every  day  must  be  replenishing. 
They  took  oil  with  them  in  the  vessels  with  the  lamps. 
''  Buy  for  yourselves."     That  is  what  the  wise  virgins 


THE   WISE   VIRGINS.  427 

said  to  the  foolish.  "  Buy  for  yourselves."  No  books,  no 
ministers,  no  meetings,  no  medium  here  between  you  and 
the  Lord.  It  is  a  personal  transaction.  It  is  a  daily 
transaction.  It  is  a  dealing  with  the  Lord.  Buy  for 
yourselves ;  for  what  you  need  you  only  can  know.  What 
you  wish  to  obtain  from  the  Lord  cannot  be  understood 
perfectly  by  any  other  person,  and  the  obtaining  of  it  is  a 
personal  thing  between  you  and  the  Lord.  Oh  what  an 
expression  that  is !  "  Buy."  It  is  said,  "  Ho,  every  one 
that  thirsteth,  come  ye,  and  he  that  hath  no  money,  buy : 
buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price." 
Ay,  it  is  true  that  it  is  of  grace,  according  as  He  hath 
given  unto  us  all  things  which  pertain  unto  life  and  godli- 
ness. As  free  as  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus,  so  free  is 
every  gift,  every  virtue,  every  feature  of  sanctification, 
which  God  in  Jesus  bestows  upon  us.  Only  trust  Him  as 
freely  for  replenishing  you  with  the  oil  as  3^ou  trust  Him 
for  having  given  you  the  first  knowledge  of  Himself  as  a 
Saviour. 

But  there  is  something  else  implied  in  the  buying.  It 
does  not  merely  mean  that  it  is  for  nothing.  It  means 
also  the  very  opposite — that  you  must  pay  everything  that 
you  have  in  order  to  get  it;  for  when  the  merchant  had 
sought  goodly  pearls,  and  discovered  the  pearl  of  great 
price,  he  sold  all  that  he  had  in  order  to  get  into  possession 
of  that  one.  "  Buy  for  yourselves."  That  was  the  search- 
ing message  to  the  foolish  virgins.  They  had  never  given 
themselves,  and  everything  that  they  were  and  had,  in 
order  to  obtain  that  one  thing  that  was  necessary. 

But,  still  farther,  if  you  ask,  "  Why  is  all  this  compared 
with  oil  ?  "  the  answer  occurs  to  you,  that  it  is  not  merely 
as  a  beautiful  illustration — a  most  marvellous  illustration. 
If  you  look  upon  that  parable  simply  as  a  skilful  parable, 
you  must  be  astonished  at  it — how  in  a  story  which  was 
continually  occurring,  and  with  which  all  the  people  there 


428  THE   WISE   VIRGINS. 


were  perfectly  familiar,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  illustrated 
the  most  various  and  important  truths  in  the  experience 
of  spiritual  life.  But  the  oil,  we  know,  means  the  Spirit 
of  God.  It  means  that  Holy  Ghost  who  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son  descends  into  the  hearts  of  God's  jDeople, 
who  converts,  who  sanctifies,  who  enlightens,  who  comforts, 
who  imparts  to  us  all  the  treasures  of  the  Divine  Grace. 
Bat  it  does  not  mean  the  Holy  Ghost  Himself  merely, 
but  that  which  is  born  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  That  which  is 
of  the  flesh  is  flesh.  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is 
spirit.  The  oil  in  the  vessels  along  with  the  lamps  means 
the  spiritual  mind  of  the  Christian.  As  I  said  before — 
and  this  is  the  point  of  the  whole  parable — to  be  spiritually- 
minded  is  to  be  watchful :  to  be  in  the  Spirit  is  to  keep 
up  the  communion  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  to  be  in 
the  Spirit  is  the  test  whether  we  have  been  converted,  for 
"  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of 
His." 

But  now  there  remains  the  most  important  point  still  to 
be  noticed.  You  can  have  no  doubt  what  Jesus  intends 
of  you.  You  can  have  no  doubt  that  Jesus  does  not  wish 
any  of  His  disciples  to  be  in  a  state  of  consternation  when 
He  comes.  You  can  have  no  doubt  that  Jesus  wants  you 
to  receive  Him  with  a  joyful  face — that  He  wants  you  to 
be  ready  for  Him,  to  say,  "  Lo,  this  is  our  God :  we  have 
waited  for  Him  with  gladness,  and  we  welcome  Him, 
knowing  that  He  loves  us,  and  that  He  will  give  to  us  now 
the  full  fruition  of  what  His  death  on  the  Cross  has  produced 
for  us."  We  are  to  be  ready  :  we  are  to  be  prepared ;  we 
are  to  be  rejoicing.  And  whence  is  it  we  are  to  derive 
this  readiness?  In  the  parable  of  the  Wise  Virgins  it  is 
hinted  to  us.  In  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper  it  is 
put  before  us  clearly,  so  that  we  can  perceive  it  even  with 
our  outward  senses.  There  is  no  other  preparation  for 
the  second  advent  but  the  eating  that  Body  which  is  fcod 


THE    WISE    VIRGINS.  429 


and  bread  indeed,  and  drinking  that  Blood  which  is  drink 
indeed.  The  oil,  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  spiritual  mind, 
comes  only  out  of  one  channel.  You  know  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  could  not  be  given,  until  Jesus  had  died  upon  the 
Cross  and  was  glorified.  There  is  no  oil  except  it  comes 
out  of  the  riven  side  of  Jesus.  There  is  no  Spirit  but  as  it 
comes  with  the  Blood  of  Christ.  It  is  by  our  continually 
remembering  the  salvation  of  Christ  on  the  Cross — it  is  by 
our  continually  holding  fast  the  beginning  of  our  confidence 
— it  is  by  our  continually  sitting  spiritually  at  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  dwelling  upon  the  death  of  Jesus,  and  the  love 
which  Jesus  had  when  He  died  for  us — it  is  only  in  this 
way  that  the  Spirit  is  given  unto  us,  and  that  we  are  kept 
watchful  and  ready  to  receive  our  Lord. 

Exclude  then  from  your  mind  everything  that  is  legal 
— all  fear  which  is  of  bondage — all  self-righteousness  or 
self-sanctification.  "  By  Christ  ye  have  been  saved  through 
faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves.  It  is  the  gift  of  God." 
The  forgiveness  of  sin  is  your  starting-point,  and  not  the 
goal  towards  which  you  strive.  You  have  already  obtained 
through  faith  the  love  of  God,  the  favour  of  God,  and  the 
everlasting  salvation  of  God.  Eat  this;  drink  this;  and 
you  have  filled  your  vessels  with  oil;  and  thus  looking 
back  to  the  Cross  of  Jesus  is  the  only  preparation  and  the 
only  strength  in  which  we  can  look  forward  to  the  coming 
of  Jesus.     Amen. 


430 


APPENDIX   A. 

DR.  Keith's  illness — the  archduchess. 

The  following  are  extracts  from  articles  written  by  Dr. 
Keith,  and  published  in  the  Sunday  at  Home  in  1867,  in 
which  he  describes  his  illness  at  Pesth,  and  wonderful  re- 
covery, and  the  kindness  of  the  Archduchess ;  and  the  way  by 
which  this  illness  led,  in  God's  providence,  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  mission  to  the  Jews  in  Pesth.  Speaking  of  the 
deputation,  or  Commission  of  Inquiry,  from  the  Church  of 
►Scotland  (appointed  to  visit  different  countries,  with  a  view 
to  the  planting  of  Jewish  missions),  composed  of  himself. 
Professor  Black  of  Aberdeen,  McCheyne,  and  Andrew  Bonar, 
he  says  : — It  is  a  story  of  thrilling  interest,  manifesting  the 
guidance  and  care  of  God.  The  deputation  had  a  letter  from 
the  Foreign  Office  (Lord  Palmerston)  to  the  British  am- 
bassadors and  consuls,  for  our  use,  wherever  we  might  go. 
At  Pesth  there  was  no  consul.  We  had  an  accumulation  of 
introductions  for  other  cities,  but  not  one  for  it — nor  did  we 
know  one  single  individual  within  it.  Yet  w^e  would  have 
been  faithless  to  our  charge  if  we  had  passed  it  by,  or  tarried 
only  for  a  night.  According  to  the  original  plan  of  our  route, 
w^e  had  resolved  not  to  come  within  hundreds  of  miles  of  it, 
but  there  we  were ;  and  long  ere  w^e  reached  it  w^e  had 
resolved  to  stop  at  Pesth,  at  least  for  three  days,  till  the  next 
steamer  should  arrive,  thinking  that  that  time  might  suffice 
for  it.  But  brief  as  it  was,  it  sufficed  to  convince  us  that  of 
all  the  cities  we  had  visited,  none  was  to  be  compared  to  it, 
as  the  promising  site  of  a  Jewish  mission.  Our  inquiries  were 
then  incomplete  ;  we  could  not  go,  till  w^e  could  learn  still  more; 
and  though  we  had  paid  for  our  passage  by  the  next  steamer, 
we  let  it  pass  without  entering  it.  A  Babbi  (a  nationalist), 
as  if  provoking  us  to  persevere,  said,  "  Send  us  out  a  mis- 
sionary, and  we  will  reason  with  him."  We  had  no  such 
challenge  in  any  other  city.  We  had  ascertained  that  there 
were  many  such  Jews  to  be  reasoned  with  there,  and  were 


DU.    KETTU'S   ILLNESS.  431 


informed  by  one  of  the  professors  that  there  were  thirty- 
Jewish  youths  at  the  University.  As  to  the  desirability  of 
a  mission  there  we  were  soon  fully  satisfied  ;  but  as  to  its 
possibility  we  saw  no  way.  We  knew  well  that  the  Austrian 
Government,  then  supreme  in  Hungary,  would  be  dead 
against  it.  The  dread  object  in  our  view  was  the  grand 
palace  of  the  Prince  Palatine,  an  Austrian  archduke,  the 
uncle  of  the  Emperor.  The  first  sight  of  it  seemed  to  defy 
us,  and  to  destroy  all  hope,  if,  hoping  against  hope,  we  had 
cherished  any.  However  beautiful,  it  had,  when  we  thought 
of  our  object,  no  beauty  in  our  eyes ;  and  it  was  the  very  last 
place  to  which  we  should  have  looked  for  help. 

Help  was  needed  to  give  us  any  hope,  and  even,  it  may  be 
said,  to  keep  one  of  us  from  the  grave.  Two  quarantines  on 
the  banks  of  the  Danube,  and  ascending  slowly  up  that  river 
for  many  hundreds  of  miles,  at  the  most  pestilential  season  of 
the  year,  had  smitten  us  both  with  intermittent  or,  as  it  is 
called,  the  Danube  fever.  Enfeebled  thus,  we  had  at  first  to 
grope  our  way  as  strangers  in  a  strange  city,  and  to  gather 
information  from  public  men,  whose  names  we  had  to  ascer- 
tain— Rabbis,  Professors,  Protestant  clergymen,  ttc. — as  quietly 
and  unostentatiously  as  we  could.  Steam  navigation  had  made 
travellers  les:s  objects  of  observation.  Going  thus  from  house 
to  house  to  complete  our  inquiries,  and  to  find,  if  we  could, 
some  friend  to  our  cause,  I  was  suddenly  seized  in  passing 
along  the  street  with  faintness  and  sickness,  and  had  to  retreat 
into  a  house,  and  I  lay  there  for  some  time  before  I  was  able 
to  return  to  the  hotel. 

On  reaching  the  hotel  I  was  speedily  prostrated  by  an 
attack  which  had  some  of  the  symptoms  of  cholera ;  while  my 
beloved  friend  of  many  years — now  the  late  Dr.  Black,— while 
I  live  to  write  it, — saw  me  sinking  more  and  more,  till  he 
thought  I  was  about  to  die,  was  walking  up  and  down 
wringing  his  hands,  bemoaning  himself  and  weeping  like  a 
child ;  and  I,  who  thought  myself  dying,  but  believing  in 
Jesus,  felt  my  true  self,  though  not  the  shell,  to  be  all  alive, 
was  trying  to  comfort  him,  so  long  as  I  could  speak.  I  fainted 
away,  became  insensible,  my  pulse  stopped  as  if  '*  all  was 
over,"  as  mortals  creatures  speak,  and  this  fleeting  life  had 
passed  away.     A  scene  of  yesterday  is  not  more  fresh  in  my 


432  DR.    KEITH'S  ILLNESS. 

mind  than  this,  as  I  seemed  to  take  the  last  look  on  earth  of 
my  Christian  friend,  and  I  seem  to  see  him  still.  He  was  the 
strength  of  our  mission — a  man  of  vast  erudition,  and  a  pro- 
found theologian.  He  spoke  nineteen  languages,  and  wrote 
twelve.  On  seeing  me,  as  he  thought,  dying  or  dead,  his 
affectionate  heart  was  touched  to  the  quick,  and  his  fever 
returned  with  increased  violence.  I  saw  him  not  again  for 
six  weeks,  though  there  was  only  a  thin  wall  between  our 
rooms  ;  when  he  came  to  see  me — the  shadow  of  what  he  was— 
I  have  often  said  that  we  were  like  two  dead  dogs.  But  it 
is  now  time  to  say  to  the  reader :  Come  and  see  what  the 
Lord  can  do,  who  said  to  His  disciples,  "  The  very  hairs  of 
your  head  are  all  numbered." 

At  the  time  I  became  insensible,  the  master  of  the  hotel, 
observing  a  foreign  gentleman  passing  along  the  street,  ran 
to  him  and  asked,  "  Are  you  an  Englishman?"  He  said  that 
he  was.  He  then  besought  him  to  enter,  and  see  two  English 
travellers,  one  of  whom  was  dying,  and  the  other  was  taken 
very  ill,  and  he  did  not  know  what  to  do.  The  stranger  (a 
Mr.  Wakefield)  said  that  he  could  do  nothing ;  for  he  and 
his  family  were  to  start  the  next  morning  at  five  o'clock  for 
Transylvania.  Still  pressed,  he  came.  On  seeing  me,  though 
1  saw  him  not,  he  said,  "  Two  English  ladies  have  arrived, 
and  I  will  let  them  know." 

They  were  Mrs.  and  Miss  Pardoe.  The  latter  had  gone  to 
Constantinople  to  write  the  City  of  the  Sultan,  and  she  had 
now  come  to  Pesth  to  write  a  book  on  Hungary.  She  had 
seen  Prince  Esterhazy,  who  had  put  a  coach  at  her  command 
to  visit  his  palaces — to  paint  them  to  the  English  public. 
More  than  that,  he  introduced  her  to  the  Archduke,  who  was 
then  presiding  over  the  Hungarian  Diet  at  Presburg.  From 
liim  she  brought  a  note  to  the  Archduchess,  whom  she  had 
already  seen.  No  sooner  did  Miss  Pardoe  hear  the  doleful 
tidings  from  Mr.  Wakefield,  than  she  hasted  to  the  bedside 
of  the  speechless  stranger,  and  learned  the  name  by  looking 
for  it  on  my  portmanteau.  Being  herself  a  stranger  in 
Pesth,  she  returned  at  once  to  the  Archduchess,  who  sent 
immediate  orders  that  everything  possible  should  be  done  for 
my  recovery. 

A  sparrow  cannot  fall  unto  the  ground  without  the  Father. 


THE  ARCHDUCHESS.  433 


Apparently  I  was  about  to  fall  unto  the  ground,  and  speedily 
to  be  laid  in  the  grave.  According  to  the  law  and  practice 
there,  so  soon  as  a  foreigner  dies,  the  body  is  laid  twenty-four 
hours  in  a  church,  and  then  buried.  Two  men,  as  I  was 
afterwards  told,  were  there  awaiting  at  my  bedside  to  carry 
me  away.  A  literary  gentleman  of  position  and  influence, 
whom  we  had  previously  seen,  calling  at  the  time,  on  seeing 
me  said,  "Nothing  can  be  done  but  order  the  coflBn."  But 
other  and  imperial  orders  were  obeyed,  and  everything  possible 
was  done.  When  vital  heat  was  slowly  restored  to  my  cold 
body,  and  signs  of  recovery  appeared,  the  physician  cried  in 
my  ear,  "We  all  thought  you  were  dead."  "Not  dead,"  was 
my  reply.  These  were  the  only  words  I  uttered,  and  day 
after  day  I  continued  in  a  state  of  unconsciousness,  at  least 
to  all  outward  things.  Awakening  as  if  from  a  sleep,  seeing  a 
lady  at  my  bed-side — Mrs.  Christie  with  her  husband.  Captain 
Christie,  then  on  their  way  to  the  East — I  asked,  "  What 
day  is  this  ?  "  "  Not  possible,"  I  said,  when  I  was  told  that 
it  was  Sabbath,  having  no  knowledge  or  recollection  beyond 
the  tenth  day  previously.  She  afterwards  informed  me,  in 
Edinburgh,  on  referring  to  this,  that  the  first  words  I  spoke 
w^ere,  "  Is  that  clock  striking  yet  ?  "  Blisters  had  been  put 
over  my  body,  and  hot  bottles  around  it,  but  I  never  felt 
them.  When  restored  to  sensibility,  feeling  some  splashes 
on  my  breast,  on  asking  what  they  were  I  was  told  that 
there  burning  wax  had  been  dropped.  And  again,  "  These 
crusts  ?  "  "  There  you  were  punctured,  to  try  if  there  was  any 
sensation."  But  there  was  none,  and  the  only  sign  of  life 
was  that  of  my  breath  on  a  mirror,  put  close  to  my  mouth, 
so  faint  that  of  it  there  were  doubts  .  .  .  The  physician  who 
attended  me,  one  of  the  professors,  said,  "  I  never  knew, 
heard,  or  read  of  any  one  but  yourself  who  touched  the  gates 
of  death  without  passing  through  them." 

It  was  a  new  thing,  so  far  as  known,  for  any  Church,  as 
such,  to  send  forth  missionaries,  or  establish  missions,  specially 
and  expressly  for  the  conversion  of  the  Jews.  No  little  interest 
had  thus  been  excited  among  the  friends  of  Israel,  when  the 
deputation  went  forth  from  Scotland.  Many  bestirred  them- 
selves to  secure  letters  of  introduction  for  our  use  ;  and  we 
were  thus  furnished  wuth  a  large  number   from  many  indi- 


434  DR.   KEITH'S  ILLNESS. 


viduals  personally  unknown.  Among  these,  as  she  afterwards 
informed  us,  was  one  from  Miss  Pardoe,  to  a  Pasha,  or  some 
dignitary  in  Cairo.  She  thus  knew  at  once  that  we  were 
there  on  our  return  from  Palestine,  and  could  tell  who  we 
were,  and  the  purpose  of  our  journey.  So  soon  as  she  took 
the  tidings  to  the  Archduchess,  and  informed  her  how  and 
where  I  lay,  she  said  that  "  the  Archduke  had  given  her  a 
book  of  his"  (Dr.  Keith's),  "with  views  in  Palestine"  (refer- 
ring to  the  illustrated  edition  of  the  Evidence  of  Fropliecy).  A 
motive  power  compared  to  which  the  mere  doings  of  men  were 
a  nothing,  sprang  up  that  moment  in  her  mind,  which  was 
never  afterwards  obliterated  or  diminished ;  which  no  human 
being  had  any  part  in  exciting  or  anything  to  do  with,  which 
influenced,  as  it  explained,  her  future  actions  and  her  un- 
flinching devotedness ;  but  which  she  did  not  tell  to  a 
stranger.  As  repeatedly  thereafter  told  by  herself  to  different 
Christian  friends,  it  had  thus  its  origin. 

During  the  previous  fortnight,  night  after  night,  without 
the  exception  of  one,  she  aw^oke  suddenly  in  the  middle  of  the 
night,  at  the  same  hour,  with  a  strong  and  irrepressible  con- 
viction that  something  w^as  to  happen  to  her.  It  uniformly 
continued  for  a  wakeful  and  most  anxious  hour,  and  when  it 
passed  away  she  had  her  undisturbed  and  usual  rest.  Re- 
curring thus  regularly  and  uniformly,  the  impression  was 
more  and  more  deepened  in  her  mind ;  and  she  thought  in 
vain  what  it  could  be,  except  it  was  the  death  of  her  mother, 
as  she  thought  that  would  affect  her  most.  Thus,  day  after 
day,  on  the  arrival  of  the  post  she  looked  for  tidings  of  her 
mother's  death.  This  continued  till  the  day  Miss  Pardoe 
told  her  that  I  was  lying  in  a  seemingly  dying  state  at  Pesth. 
Instantly,  as  she  expressed  it,  she  thought  within  herself, 
"  This  is  what  was  to  happen  to  me."  That  night,  and 
uniformly  after,  her  sleep  was  as  unbroken  as  before,  without 
any  real  disturbing  thought.  Seven  years  thereafter,  when 
the  Duchess  of  Gordon  and  I  went  to  meet  her  at  her  mother's 
in  the  palace  of  Kirkheim  in  Wurtemburg,  referring  to  it  she 
said  that  she  never  had  any  such  feeling  in  her  life,  either 
before  or  after,  but  only  then. 

In  that  feeling,  involved  as  it  was  with  many  coiEcidences, 
which  it  was  not  man  that  directed  and  over-ruled,  lay  the 


THE  AROHDUCIIKSS.  435 


key  whereby  a  door  was  to  be  opened  for  the  Jewish  mission 
at  Pesth,  though  no  one  knew  it,  or  thought  of  it  then  .... 

As  soon  as  it  was  deemed  that  my  returning  strength  wouhl 
permit,  the  Archduchess  came  for  the  first  time  to  see  me. 
So  far  as  known  she  had  never  previously  entered  an  hotel  in 
Pesth.  It  took  the  inmates  by  surprise.  The  cry  was  raised  at 
her  coming — "The  Princess  Palatine  I  "  There  was  a  hubbub 
in  the  house,  a  running  to  and  fro — all  bustle  and  preparation. 

Dr.  Keith  proceeds  to  give  an  account  of  the  frequent  visits 
of  the  Archduchess — of  her  unfolding  to  him  all  her  mind — 
of  her  sorrow  for  the  loss  of  her  beloved  son,  the  Prince 
Alexander,  of  great  firmness  and  possessed  of  true  Christian 
faith,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  two  years  before — though  she 
was  perfectly  submissive — but  especially  of  the  burden  of  her 
sins,  for  which  she  thought  special  judgments  had  overtaken 
her.  Her  mind  was  full,  and  she  poured  out  her  sorrows. 
"When  she  had  spoken  at  great  length,  Dr.  Keith's  first  words 
indicating  the  purport  of  her  statement  were,  "  No,  madam, 
if  there  be  faith  in  Christ,  afllictions,  however  great,  are 
not  evidence  of  the  wrath  of  God,  but  tokens  of  His  love, 
who  chasteneth  whom  He  loveth,  and  scourgeth  every  son 
whom  He  receiveth."  The  Archduchess  continued  to  visit 
him  during  his  illness  every  alternate  day,  and  there  was 
much  conversation  as  to  a  possible  mission  to  the  Jews. 

Dr.  Keith  tried  to  leave  Pesth  with  Dr.  Black  (who  had  to 
return  to  his  University  duties),  two  months  after  he  had  been 
seized  with  illness  ;  but  being  again  attacked  w^th  fever  and 
ague,  he  had  to  remain  some  months  longer — six  months  in  all. 
It  was  not  till  after  this  attempt  to  leave  that  he  saw  Mr. 
Saphir  and  others,  and  acquired  the  knowledge  which  made 
him  urge  the  establishment  of  a  mission  to  the  Jews  in  Pesth. 
He  had  inquired  of  a  literary  Polish  gentleman  if  he  knew 
any  intelligent  Jew  in  Pesth  on  whose  testimony  he  could 
thoroughly  rely.  ''There  is  no  man  like  Mr.  Saphir,"  he  said. 
With  him  and  others  he  had  many  conversations.  From  his 
great  candour,  he  had  good  hopes  that  Mr.  Saphir  would 
become  a  convert.  But  it  was  some  years  later  before  the 
great  change  took  place.  "  His  was  a  long  and  hard  struggle," 
says  Dr.  Keith,  "  before  he  was  convinced  that  the  Jews 
ci^ucified  the   Messiah."      Some  idea  may  be   formed  of  the 


43C)  DR.    KEITH'S  ILLNESS. 


nature  of  the  conflict  in  his  mind  from  what  he  said  when  it 
was  finished.  After  a  sleepless  night,  he  said  to  his  wife, 
"I  am  convinced  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  though  I  see 
nothing  but  starvation  staring  us  in  the  face,  I  must  go  and 
confess  it." 

As  to  the  Archduchess,  Dr.  Keith  continues  : — "  Literally 
she  ministered  to  me  with  lier  own  hand.  Often  when  I  was 
athirst,  or  fatigued  in  the  course  of  conversation,  putting  one 
of  her  hands  under  my  head,  she  gently  raised  it  from  the 
pillow,  and  with  the  other  gave  me  to  drink.  She  brought 
the  same  cup  with  which  she  had  ministered  to  her  dying 
son."  Dr.  Keith  had  relapses  at  different  times,  and  but  for 
her  constant  attention  would  never  have  recovered.  Thus  in 
the  very  centre  of  power  was  found  the  protection  and 
zeal  for  the  mission,  which  Dr.  Keith  pressed  forward 
afterwards  in  committee,  amidst  much  opposition,  convinced 
that  God  Himself  had  indicated  to  them  Pesth  as  a  grand 
centre  for  Jev.-ish  missions. 

Of  the  Archduchess  he  says,  in  winding  up  his  narrative  : — 
"To  me  she  was  Christian  kindness  itself,  and  none  the  less 
because  of  my  using  '  all  plainness  of  speech.'  So  observant 
and  considerate  was  she,  that  noticing  that  my  bed  was  so 
short  that  I  could  not  stretch  myself  on  it "  (Dr.  Keith  was 
very  tall),  "  she  sent  without  delay  a  fine  long  bed — that,  as 
she  afterwards  told  me,  of  the  Archduke,  being  the  longest  in 
the  palace — on  which  I  lay  till  my  departure.  When  again 
in  a  high  fever,  and  my  life  in  danger,  I  one  day  wondered 
at  the  unusual  and  perfect  stillness,  and,  on  asking  the  cause, 
was  told  that  the  street  was  covered  with  straw  near  the 
hotel,  and  a  soldier  (Austrian  soldiers  too)  was  stationed  at 
each  end  of  the  street  to  prevent  any  thoroughfare,  and  to 
keep  any  carriage  that  stopped  in  it  at  a  walking  pace.  Her 
attention  to  all  my  wants  or  comforts  was  unremitting  and 
unwearied ;  and  long  before  I  left,  my  chief  meal  was  sent 
daily  in  hot  dishes  from  the  palace,  as  the  physician  prescribed 
what  was  best  for  my  use.   .  .  ." 

He  long  lay  very  ill,  and  but  for  the  arrival  of  one  of  his 
sons,  then  a  student  of  medicine  in  Edinburgh,  who  adopted 
quietly  more  decisive  and  effective  treatment,  and  who  re- 
mained with  him  till  he  left,  would  probably  not  have  recovered, 


437 


APPENDIX   B. 

DR.  Duncan's  wonderful  influence  in  pesth. 

There  was  nothing  more  remarkable  in  the  Pesth  mission 
than  the  wonderful  influence  at  once  obtained  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Duncan,  who  was  a  man  of  singular  absence  of  mind,  but 
of  much  philosophical  and  theological,  and  above  all  spiritual, 
power.  He  at  once  commanded  a  respect,  from  his  learning 
and  spirituality  combined,  which  from  the  very  first  raised 
the  mission  to  a  position  of  influence,  among  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics,  and  the  effect  of 
which  was  felt  for  many  years  after  he  had  gone.  He  was 
respected  in  his  own  country,  but  never  exercised  such  power 
as  in  his  brief  missionary  life  at  Pesth.  We  have  there- 
fore thought  it  advisable  to  give  in  an  appendix  a  fuller 
account  of  his  influence  than  we  could  well  have  done  in  the 
Life.  We  derive  our  information  from  the  Recollections  of 
ike  Rev.  J.  Duncan,  LL.D.,  by  Dr.  Moody  Stuart,  and  from 
the  well-known  Life,  written  by  the  Rev.  Principal  Brown,  D.D. 

"  Before  leaving  Scotland  he  had  been  married  to  a  Mrs. 
Torrance,  who  entered  with  Christian  enthusiasm  and  energy 
and  wisdom  into  all  his  missionary  work.  Their  house  in 
Pesth  was  thrown  open  to  the  Jews  ;  they  saw  all  their  habits 
and  ways,  and  had  Christianity  presented  before  them  without 
being  forced  upon  them.  His  very  peculiarities  seemed  to 
suit  them,  and  to  attract  rather  than  to  offend ;  and  his  truly 
Christian  tact  was  so  great  that  his  opponents  spoke  of  him 
as  '  a  very  cunning  missionary.' 

"  On  their  arrival  in  Pesth  they  found  a  number  of  English 
engaged  in  the  erection  of  a  chain-bridge,  and  their  presence 
gave  the  missionaries  a  legal  opportunity  of  preaching  the 
gospel,  of  which  they  gladly  availed  themselves.  Dr.  Duncan 
was  requested  to  marry  two  British  subjects,  and  consented. 
A  few  days  after  he  had  performed  the  ceremony,  the  Arch- 
duke Palatine  of  Hungary  sent  for  him,  and  after  a  kind 
reception  told  him  that  it  was  his  duty  to  inform  him  that 


438  DR.    DUNCAN'S    WONDERFUL 

tlie  act  was  illegal,  and  must  not  be  repeated.  He  answered, 
'  I  am  an  ordained  minister  of  the  Established  Church  of 
Scotland,  and  I  hold  myself  entitled  under  Christ  to  administer 
the  ceremony  of  marriage  between  British  subjects.'  The 
Archduke  replied,  '  I  don't  question  your  ministerial  orders, 
but  marriage  in  this  country  is  civil  as  well  as  religious,  and 
must  be  administered  by  a  clergyman  recognized  by  law\ 
But  all  that  I  ask  you  to  do  is,  in  future,  to  act  on  such 
occasions  as  the  vicar  of  a  legally  recognized  pastor.'  Pro- 
ceeding on  his  uniform  breadth  of  view,  and  acting  with  his 
usual  prudence,  Dr.  Duncan  at  once  consented ;  and  in 
baptism  and  every  other  ordinance  both  he  and  the  other 
missionaries  to  the  Jews  always  acted  as  vicars  to  Pastor 
Toriik,  the  honoured  superintendent  of  the  Reformed  Church, 
from  whom  they  invariably  received  the  greatest  kindness." 

Dr.  Duncan's  conscience  was  more  alive  than  most  men's 
to  the  evil  of  any  conformity  with  or  countenance  to  the  errors 
of  Papacy,  and  he  would  not  be  present,  even  in  the  way  of 
curiosity,  at  the  idolatrous  service  of  the  Mass.  When  his 
friends  went  to  witness  the  pomp  of  that  worship  in  Bome  on 
a  high  occasion,  he  left  them  at  the  door  of  the  church.  But 
he  would  attend  the  preaching  without  scruple  ;  he  described 
with  great  vivacity  the  sermons  which  he  heard  in  Italy ;  and 
in  the  Roman  Catholic  creed  he  always  owned  the  "  wheat  " 
with  which  the  "  arsenic  "  was  mingled.  Of  his  remarkable 
intercourse  in  Pesth  with  the  Hebrew  and  Roman  Catholic 
doctors  Mr.  Allan  gives  a  graphic  account.  "  For  a  while  in 
Pesth  it  was  a  precious  time.  The  great  subjects  of  the  gospel 
were  presented  and  defended  as  new.  The  venerated  beliefs 
and  positions  of  Judaism  presented  themselves  in  numbers  of 
living,  intelligent  men  ;  and  the  discussion  of  these  gave  exer- 
cise to  his  beloved  acquirements  of  Hebrew  and  Latin.  The 
latter  he  spoke  with  great  purity,  precision,  and  readiness  ; 
the  effort  that  he  required  to  make  to  find  and  frame  his 
words  gave  compactness  to  his  discourse  ;  when  he  had  to 
quote  the  Scriptures  it  behoved  to  be  in  the  original,  as  such 
is  the  practice  of  the  Jews,  and  only  so  is  it  of  authority. 
Such  engagement  kept  mind,  body,  and  spirits  healthy  ;  prayer, 
too,  active,  and  the  fruit  was  seen. 

"  It  was  at  this  time  that,  besides  daily  converse  with  learned 


INFLUENCE  IN   PESTH.  439 


Jews  and  Roman  Catholics,  numbers  of  both  attended  his 
services.  Among  the  latter  was  a  company  of  four  friends, 
three  of  them  2)riests,  and  one  a  young  lawyer.  The  elder  of 
the  priests  had  the  honorary  office  of  chaplain  to  the  King 
of  Sardinia  ;  another  of  them  appeared  prominently  in  the 
Council  at  Kome  (1870),  Sr.  Lodovicus  Haynald,  Bishop  of  some 
place  in  Croatia,  I  think.  Among  other  duties  they  conducted 
a  newspaper  in  Magyar,  and  at  that  time  the  controversy  was 
very  free  between  them  and  Protestant  Rationalists.  Of 
course  the  Catholics  were  too  wise — I  may  say  too  faithful — 
to  take  their  stand  upon  any  accretions  ;  they  stuck  to  the 
f  undamendal  verities.  '  I,'  said  the  doctor,  openly  and  re- 
peatedly, 'side  with  the  Catholics.'  He  could  not  then  read 
Magyar,  but  he  used  to  see  both  papers  on  the  controversy, 
and  count  the  passages  of  ►^jcripture  quoted  by  each.  '  I 
find,'  said  he,  'that  the  Catholics  quote  Scripture  six  times 
for  the  Protestants'  once.'  Our  friends  attended  our  Sabbath 
services  most  regularly  ;  the  doctor  preached  a  series  of  dis- 
courses on  the  Lord's  Prayer ;  they  (the  Catholics)  were  very 
anxious  to  have  these  discourses  to  publish  in  their  paper; 
but  you  know  how  impossible  that  was  in  the  absence  of  a 
shorthand  writer.  One  thing  was  very  marked  in  his  public 
and  private  intercourses  with  these  gentlemen  and  others  of 
the  same  Church  ;  he  always  guardedly  spoke  of  the  Church 
as  the  '  Western  Church'  I  understood  it  to  be  a  compromise 
between  Catholic  and  Roman.  I  remember  the  great  surprise 
expressed  by  my  young  friend  the  priest  in  these  words,  *  But 
your  doctor  is  orthodox.' 

''These  things  recall  very  pleasant  memories.  Our  four 
R.  C.  friends  wished  to  learn  English  (as  England  at  that 
time  was  the  model  set  up  by  the  Hungarians),  and  I  was 
their  teacher.  It  opened  for  me  much  pleasant  intercourse. 
Would  that  it  had  been  more  profitable  !  I  spent  some  days 
with  Haynald  at  Gran,  where  he  was  Professor  of  Theology,^ 
and  had  the  honour  of  being  introduced  to  the  Prince  Primate. 
I  am  sure  my  then  master.  Dr.  Duncan,  would  not  have 
objected  to  any  respect    shown  the   venerable  man,   or  any 

^  At'tenvards  Cardinal  Archbishop  Haynald,  Kalocsa,  Hungary.  He 
was  at  the  Papal  Council  in  Rome  in  1870,  and  opposed  the  decree  of 
infallibiUty. 


440  DR.    DUNCAN'S    WONDERFUL 


received  from  him.  Dr.  Duncan  said  he  would  preach  in 
the  Pope's  pulpit  if  he  asked  him,  and  I  feel  sure  he  would 
have  done  it,  with  surpassing  delicacy." 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  this  happy  time  that  we  used  to 
have  the  communion  in  the  upper  room,  joined  with  others  by 
a  venerable  Countess  Brunswick,  a  devout  Catholic  clinging  to 
the  hope  of  reformation  in  her  venerable  Church.  Schauffler 
and  family  visited  us  about  the  same  time  on  their  way  from 
Vienna,  where  he  had  been  printing  his  Bible.  Old  Saphir 
had  for  some  time  been  often  with  us  in  public  and  private ; 
leading  (or  being  led,  you  could  hardly  tell  which)  by  the 
hand  his  Benjamin — Adolph.  He  was  present  as  a  witness 
on  the  occasion  of  our  communion  to  which  I  refer.  I  can 
never  forget  that  sight.  He  was  sitting  on  a  chair.  The 
boy,  standing,  was  between  his  knees,  the  young  head  reaching 
nearly  to  the  aged  face,  the  face  nearly  resting  on  the  youth- 
ful head.  We  had  ended  the  Supper.  Dr.  Duncan  gave  out 
the  sixty-fourth  paraphrase,  '  To  Him  that  loved  the  souls  of 
men.'  To  our  surprise  the  voice  of  the  old  Hebrew  rose 
above  our  voices,  and  when  we  looked  to  him  the  tears  were 
falling  plentifully  on  the  head  of  Adolph.  These  are  days  to 
be  remembered." 

"  The  dust  of  the  earth  on  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  on  high 
was  the  great  stumbling-block  to  those  Israelites  ;  yet  some  of 
them  were  learning  to  call  Jesus,  Lord." 

"The  venerable  Saphir,  one  of  the  most  respected  of  the 
Jews  in  Pesth,  and  his  whole  family  with  him,  were  among  the 
first-fruits  of  the  mission.  The  boy,  on  whose  head  his  old 
father's  tears  fell  so  fast,  has  long  been  well  known  as  one  of 
the  most  devoted,  honoured,  and  successful  of  the  Presbyterian 
ministers  in  England.  Two  Hebrew  students,  afterwards  the 
Pev.  Mr.  Edershcim  of  Torquay,  and  the  Pev.  Mr.  Tomory  of 
Constantinople,  were  among  the  earliest  converts.  Of  his 
daily  intercourse  with  them  and  others  in  the  freshness  of  their 
first  love,  Dr.  Duncan  spoke  afterwards  with  interest  and 
enthusiasm.  In  reading  the  Xew  Testament  with  them  they 
found  it  speak  so  exactly  to  their  own  circumstances,  their 
joys,  their  hopes,  their  difficulties,  their  trials,  that  he  said  to 
me,  '  They  used  to  read  day  after  day  the  Epistles  of  Paul,  as 
if  they  had  been  letters  that  had  come    by  that  morning'y 


INFLUENCE  IN  PEST II  441 

post.'  In  this  city  more  than  a  hundred  Hebrew  converts 
have  since  been  baptized  (in  1873)  in  the  name  of  Him  whom 
the  nation  abhors." 

The  E,ev.  Alexander  Tomory,  long  missionary  to  the  Jews 
in  Constantinople,  himself  one  of  the  first-fruits  of  the  mission 
to  Pesth,  gave  also  in  Dr.  Moody  Stuart's  volume  an  interesting 
account  of  Dr.  Duncan's  work.  *'  While  the  Church  at  home 
made  preparation  for  her  work  among  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  fixed  on  Pesth  as  her  first  central  mission,  the  Lord 
prepared  some  souls  in  that  dark  land  to  be  the  first  recipients 
of  those  bounties,  the  first-fruits  of  the  great  gathering,  the 
trophies  of  His  redeeming  love.  If  my  time  permitted,  I 
would  gladly  prepare  a  full  statement  as  a  tribute  of  filial 
affection  to  him  who,  in  the  providence  of  God,  was  to  me  as 
a  father,  at  whose  feet  I  gladly  sat,  and  whose  teaching  and 
godly  example  were  so  much  blessed  to  me. 

"  Six  hours  distant  from  Pesth  sighed  a  lonely  soul  for  the 
Word  of  Life.  In  vain  did  I  speak  to  Protestant  theological 
professors  and  Roman  Catholic  bishops ;  they  had  nothing  to 
say  to  lead  an  erring  sheep  back  to  the  Great  Shepherd  ]  but 
a  high  prelate  in  Vienna  on  hearing  my  story  said,  *  Why  did 
you  come  here  ?  In  Pesth  there  are  English  missionaries.'  So 
these  functionaries  then  had  notice  of  Dr.  Duncan's  presence 
in  the  capital  of  Hungary,  and  three  days  later  I  was  intro- 
duced to  the  dear  man.  In  a  most  syllogistic  way,  and  in 
fluent  Latin,  he  brought  out  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and 
urged  me  to  accept  Christ  as  my  Saviour.  I  well  remember 
the  time  and  the  locality  ;  the  very  words  still  linger  within  me 
with  a  thrilling  echo.  Bat  quite  in  keeping  with  the  character 
of  the  doctor,  with  the  ruling  passion,  in  the  same  breath  he 
began  to  teach  me  English.  While  the  tears  were  yet  in  my 
eyes  and  his,  he  began  to  conjugate  an  English  verb,  and  made 
me  repeat  it.  After  that  I  saw  him  almost  daily  till  he  left 
for  Italy.  This  was  in  the  year  1842.  He  left,  but  the  blessing 
remained  behind.  It  was  a  time  of  love,  a  time  of  the  right 
hand  of  the  Most  High ;  it  was  a  pentecostal  time.  I  have 
seen  for  months  a  large  hall  filled  with  Jews  twice  a  week, 
drinking  in  the  words  as  they  came  from  Messrs.  Smith  and 
Wingate.  It  was  a  time  of  earnest  prayer,  and  souls  were 
born  as  in  a  day.     Two  or  three  met    together,  and   spent 

F  F 


442  DR.    DUNCAN'S    WONDERFUL 

whole  nights  in  prayer  ;  they  prayed  for  the  missionaries,  for 
the  work,  for  individual  souls,  and  for  Israel  in  general,  and 
surprising  answers  were  granted. 

"  When  he  returned  to  Pesth  in  June  1843,  I  was  already 
baptized,  and  a  number  besides.  He  was  surrounded  by  a 
flock  of  new-born  souls,  and  felt  quite  overwhelmed.  I  well 
remember  his  English  sermon  preached  on  the  first  Sabbath 
after  his  return,  on  3  John  3,  '  I  rejoiced  greatly,  when  the 
brethren  came  and  testified  of  the  truth  that  is  in  thee,  even 
as  thou  walkest  in  the  truth.'  He  was  deeply  moved,  and 
scarcely  able  to  proceed.  The  words  of  Csesar  might  have  been 
applied  to  him  in  a  spiritual  sense,  *  Veni,  vidi,  vici.'  Whole 
days  were  occupied  in  receiving  visitors,  and  his  metaphysical 
and  conversational  powers  were  brought  into  full  play.  I 
heard  him  talking  away  for  hours  together  on  the  most 
abstruse  questions.  We  hung  on  his  lips,  and  drank  in  every 
word.  A  Popish  priest,  professor  in  the  Theological  Seminary, 
called  one  afternoon,  and  the  discussion  was  a  most  animated 
one.  The  doctor  brought  out  glorious  truths  in  the  most 
classic  Latin,  and  the  Professor  seemed  to  enjoy  it  immensely, 
although  opposing  the  propositions  advanced.  His  learning 
attracted  many  people — Rabbis,  teachers,  and  students  were 
daily  visitors  ;  there  was  a  constant  coming  and  going,  and 
the  regular  instruction  was  left  almost  entirely  to  Messrs. 
Smith  and  Wingate.  His  influence  in  the  place  was  immense, 
and  he  certainly  used  it  for  good. 

"  He  greatly  desired  the  revival  of  the  Hungarian  Church  ; 
various  plans  and  means  were  proposed.  A  great  influence 
was  produced  on  both  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Churches 
in  Pesth  and  Hungary  generally.  Many  were  delivered  from 
rationalism.  Among  others  Bauhofer,  chaplain  to  the  Arch- 
duchess, who  confessed  before  he  died  that  he  owed  his 
conversion  to  the  missionaries." 

The  following  description  of  Duncan  is  given  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Smith  in  Principal  Brown's  Life  of  Duncan  : — "  He  seemed 
to  be  a  child  and  a  giant  in  one,  both  characters  curiously 
intermingled,  making  intercourse  with  him  peculiarly  delight- 
ful. No  man  ever  inspired  less  awe,  nor  called  forth  deeper 
reverence.  What  added  greatly  to  the  weight  of  his  words 
was,  that  all  his  views  on  the  great  questions  of  philosophy, 


INFLUENCE  IN  PESTIL  443 

theology,  and  philology  were  thoroughly  matured.  You  very 
rarely  discovered  an  idea  in  the  process  of  formation.  Every 
thought  came  forth  from  the  birth  in  full  maturity.  But 
though  from  the  circumstances  his  opinions  were  not  only 
clear,  but  strong  and  decided,  he  was  singularly  free  from 
dogmatism.  The  severe  mental  conflict  by  which  the  most  of 
them  had  been  reached,  made  him  tolerant  towards  the  cruder 
and  less  perfectly  formed  views  of  others.  All  this  I  learned 
more  fully  afterwards,  but  I  saw  enough  at  my  first  interview 
to  convince  me  that  the  Church  had  made  a  wise  arrangement 
in  giving  him  the  superintendence  of  the  younger  missionaries, 
and  I  reckoned  myself  fortunate  in  the  prospect  of  possessing 
such  a  guide  in  my  preparation  for  future  labour." 

A  fuller  account  is  given  by  him  of  the  Archduchess' 
earlier  history  : — 

"  The  Archduchess  Maria  Dorothea  was  by  birth  a  princess 
of  the  house  of  WUrtemburg,  and  a  Protestant.  When  she 
consented  (while  spiritually  unawakened)  to  marry  the  Roman 
Catholic  Archduke  Palatine,  Joseph,  the  Emperor's  uncle,  and 
Viceroy  of  Hungary,  it  w^as  with  the  express  security  that  she 
should  enjoy  full  religious  liberty  for  herself  ;  and  even  after 
she  became  so  decided,  she  had  the  sincere  attachment  of  her 
husband.  Still,  she  felt  herself  alone  in  her  adopted  country, 
and  though  feeling  the  deepest  interest  in  its  religious  welfare, 
she  was  able  to  do  next  to  nothing  for  it,  owing  to  the  jealous 
watchfulness  of  the  Romish  authorities,  then  all-powerful  in 
Austria.  But  the  deep  waters  of  afiliction  through  which  she 
had  to  pass  were  greatly  blessed  to  her.  Her  eldest  boy — a 
youth  of  great  promise,  and  already  styled  '  the  hope  of  Hun- 
gary,' of  high  talents,  good  address,  and  handsome  person,  and, 
what  his  mother  valued  most  of  all,  already  her  companion  in 
decision  of  Christian  principle — had,  to  her  unspeakable  grief, 
been  taken  from  her  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen.  Driven  to 
her  Bible  and  her  knees,  she  there  found  the  needed  relief. 
The  palace  in  which  she  resided  stands  on  an  eminence,  looking 
down  on  the  Danube  rolling  beneath,  with  the  city  of  Pesth 
on  its  opposite  bank ;  and  her  private  apartment  lay  towards 
the  front  of  the  building.  '  There  in  the  deep  embrasure  '  she 
poured  forth  her  prayers  to  God,  for  a  revival  of  spiritual  life 
in  Hungary." 


444 


APPENDIX   C. 

(The  following  obituary  notice  is  abridged  from  the  Humorist  of 
September  7,  1858,  of  which  paper  Mr.  M.  G.  Saphir  had  been 
l^roprietor,  editor,  and  publisher.) 

DR.    SAPHIR's    uncle,    MORITZ    G.    SAPHIR,    POET   AND    SATIRIST. 

MoRiTZ  Gottlieb  Saphir,  the  great  humorist,  and  successor 
of  Jean  Paul,  was  born  at  Lovas-Bereoy  on  February  8,  1795. 
This  is  a  little  Hungarian  town  in  the  Stuhlweissenbouro: 
district,  the  inhabitants  of  which  are  engaged  mostly  in  vine- 
tillage. 

The  grandfather  of  the  poet  was  named  Israel  Israel. 
When  the  Jews,  at  the  command  of  the  Emperor  Joseph  II., 
were  obliged  to  adopt  family  names,  the  magistrates  summoned 
the  above-mentioned  grandfather,  and  asked  him  what  name 
he  wished  to  be  known  by  in  future.  Israel  Israel  at  first 
did  not  himself  know ;  but,  as  he  wore  on  his  finger  an  heir- 
loom in  the  shape  of  a  signet  ring  with  a  sapphire  stone  in 
it,  the  magistrate  suggested  to  him,  "  Call  yourself  simply 
Saphir."     And  this  he  did. 

It  was  the  wish  of  his  parents  that  M.  G.  Saphir  should 
enter  a  commercial  house ;  but  he  himself  desired  a  literary 
career.  A  middle  course  was  sought  for,  and  Saphir  was  set 
to  study  the  Talmud.  Saphir  went  to  Prague,  in  order  to 
devote  himself  to  the  study  of  the  Talmud.  Thus  passed  the 
long  period  from  1806 — 1814.  He  spent  these  beautiful 
years  of  youth  in  the  earnest  and  unremitting  pursuit  of  this 
knowledge. 

A  really  spirited  nature  however  will  not  allow  itself  to 
be  for  ever  gagged  and  fettered,  and  so,  by  and  by,  Saphir 
burst  his  restraining  bonds,  and  firmly  decided  only  to  listen  in 


MORITZ   G.   SAPHIR.  445 

future  to  the  inspirations  of  his  muse.  The  young  writer  was 
very  well  received  by  the  reading  world ;  his  poems  found  a 
warm  welcome,  and  his  satirical  talent  especially  attracted  an 
unwonted  amount  of  attention.  The  future  unsparing  critic  of 
bad  writers  and  rhymers  was  at  this  time  remarkable  for  the 
weight  of  his  lash. 

Saphir  however  was  not  contented  with  the  laurels  which 
a  city  of  the  second  rank  could  afford.  Pesth  was  not  at  that 
time  fitted  to  become  the  Capua  of  any  great  talent.  Our 
humorist  hastened  from  thence  to  the  imperial  city  on  the 
upper  Danube.  Literary  and  artistic  circles  in  Vienna  all 
admired  him  greatly. 

Unpleasant  incidents,  produced  by  some  of  his  satirical 
writings,  induced  Saphir  to  leave  Vienna  and  go  to  Berlin. 
The  richly-gifted  writer  was  by  no  means  received  there  with 
open  arms,  for  at  that  time  an  envious  feeling  was  prevalent, 
which  caused  them  to  receive  the  most  brilliant  productions 
of  Southern  Germany  with  cold  and  severe  criticism.  Holtei 
has  described  with  praiseworthy  honesty  in  one  of  his  books 
how  terrified  every  one  was  when  Saphir,  thanks  to  his 
Schnelljwst,  which  he  began  to  publish  in  1826,  suddenly  grew 
to  be  a  power  in  criticism. 

In  the  following  year  he  founded  a  second  periodical.  The 
Berlin  Courier.  At  this  time  he  began  to  use  his  well-known 
nom  de  plume,  Dr.  Debeck,  with  which  he  signed  many  later 
articles.  Opponents  were  not  wanting,  but  Saphir  came  out 
of  such  polemical  skirmishes  with  fresh  laurels. 

In  the  year  1828,  Saphir  wrote  two  pamphlets  which  the 
brilliancy  of  his  mockery  and  satire  made  famous.  One 
brochure  bore  the  title  Der  yetodtete  und  dock  lehendige  Saphir, 
and  the  other  Kommt  her!  Both  pamphlets  created  a 
tremendous  sensation. 

In  1830  he  made  a  journey  to  Paris.  He  lived  while  in 
Paris  in  cordial  intercourse  with  Heinrich  Heine  and  Ludwig 
Biirne  :  in  fact  he  lived  in  a  furnished  apartment  immediately 
above  the  room  occupied  by  the  latter,  which  served  still 
further  to  strengthen  the  bonds  between  them.  In  the  same 
year,  namely  1831,  Saphir  was  recalled  to  Munich  by  the 
King  of  Bavaria,  in  order  to  undertake  the  editorship  of  Der 
Bairische  Beohachter,  and    he  also  started  at  the  same  time 


44G  MORITZ   G.   SAPHIE, 

liis  Milnchener  Ilorizont,  which  in  a  short  time  became  one  of 
the  most  widely-read  papers  in  Germany. 

In  the  beginning  of  1832,  his  profession  of  Christianity 
took  place.  Saphir  was  baptized  in  Dean  Beck's  house, 
according  to  the  practice  of  the  Protestant  Church. 

With  the  year  1834,  his  journalistic  activity  in  Munich 
came  to  an  end.  Saphir  returned  to  Vienna.  His  fame  as 
an  author  procured  him  admittance  to  salons  whose  doors 
were  opened  only  to  the  creme  de  la  creme.  That  he  should 
thus  be  introduced  into  the  drawing-rooms  of  the  great,  was  a 
reward  which  only  envy  or  ignorance  could  have  objected  to. 

From  this  time  he  was  recognized  as  the  principal  critic  in 
the  capital.  Three  years  later  (1837)  he  began  the  editor- 
ship of  his  journal  De7'  Humorist.  After  1850,  Saphir's 
humorous  and  satirical  Volkskcdender  appeared  annually,  and 
became  so  popular  that  in  spite  of  an  edition  of  from  16,000 
to  20,000  copies,  it  was  usually  sold  out  in  a  few  weeks. 
Saphir  procured  further  benefit  to  poetry  and  art  by  the 
founding  of  his  Musihaliscli-dedaraatorisclie  Ahadertile. 

His  fame  as  a  writer  spread  far ;  and  he  undertook  some 
professional  tours  beyond  the  frontiers  of  the  Empire.  They 
were  intellectual  triumphs.  Soon  after,  as  will  be  read  further 
on,  Saphir  extended  his  conquests  across  the  Rhine. 

In  the  month  of  August  1858  he  was  sent  as  the 
representative  of  literature  to  Brussels,  to  be  present  at  the 
marriage  of  the  Archduchess  Maria  Henrietta  Anna  to  the 
Duke  of  Brabant,  the  Belgian  Crown  Prince.  In  Brussels 
Saphir  formed  a  close  friendship  with  the  celebrated  Dumas 
jHire,  who  subsequently,  in  the  drawing-rooms  of  Prince 
Napoleon  and  Princess  Matilda,  told  so  many  fine  stories 
about  the  German  humorist,  that  both  illustrious  members 
of  the  French  Imperial  House  lived  in  the  belief  that  M. 
G.  Saphir  was  only  a  myth  whom  Dumas  had  created  out  of 
his  own  mind,  for  the  entertainment  of  the  Prussian  Court ! 
Saphir  was  consequently  received  with  open  arms  in  Paris, 
when  he  went  there  to  be  present  at  the  Industrial  Exhibition 
in  1855. 

Saphir  was  tall  and  slender.  In  his  eyes  could  be  read 
intellect  and  good-nature, — only  about  his  lips  there  sometimes 
hovered  a  sort  of  derisive  smile.     His  dress  was  faultless,  and 


POET  AND   SATIRIST.  447 

ho  had  the  manners  of  a  perfect  gentleman.  He  was  ahnost 
the  only  German  literary  celebrity  who,  like  our  colleagues 
across  the  Rhine,  lived  entirely  by  liis  writings  [Ein  Rentier 
des  Geistes).  In  short  he  may  be  described  as  the  German 
Alexander  Dumas.  In  addition  to  his  mother  tongue  Saphir 
spoke  French,  English,  and  Italian  fluently,  and  also  some 
Hungarian.      His  Hebrew  studies  we  have  already  mentioned. 

With  regard  to  ISaphir's  poetry,  one  must  especially  admire 
the  many-sidedness  of  his  talent.  As  a  singer  of  love,  and  as 
a  lyric  poet,  Saphir  could  touch  all  hearts.  His  collection 
Wilde  Rosen  may  be  compared  to  a  jewel-case  containing  many 
precious  gems. 

The  pure  morality  which  almost  without  exception  distin- 
guished his  works  is  worthy  of  all  praise. 

Saphir  was,  however,  especially  distinguished  in  the  domain 
of  criticism.  He  possessed  all  the  gifts  w^hich  Borne  has 
stated  to  be  necessary  for  a  good  critic,  viz.  wide  reading, 
general  knowledge,  versatility,  and  courage. 

His  handwriting  was  very  bad.  He  humorously  thus  referred 
to  it  :  "  If  you  cannot  read  my  wi-iting  you  must  have 
patience  till  I  come  myself,  and  I  will  bring  with  me  my 
compositor  from  the  printing-office,  who  is  the  only  man  on 
earth  who  can  read  my  writing.  I  will  confide  a  secret  to 
you.  In  the  course  of  years  I  and  my  compositor  have  so 
grown  together,  that  we  deserve  to  be  exhibited  as  a  marvel- 
lous phenomenon  !  I  cannot  live  without  him,  for  nobody 
else  can  put  my  writing  in  type  ;  but  he  also,  good  man,  cannot 
live  without  me,  for  he  can  no  longer  read  ordinary  good 
writing ! " 

He  died  on  September  5,  1858,  at  Baden.  The  body  was 
thence  conveyed  to  Vienna,  where  there  was  a  very  large 
funeral. 

Dr.  Adler,  Chief  Rabbi  in  London,  in  a  recent  lecture  on 
Jewish  humour,  says  of  M.  G.  Saphir — "During  the  major 
portion  of  the  century,  the  Hungarian  Saphir  was  acknow- 
ledged as  the  leading  humorist  in  Austria.  His  caustive 
satire  made  him  excessively  distasteful  to  the  petty  sovereigns 
with  whom  the  Germany  of  those  days  abounded.  Ordered 
to  quit  the  territory  of  one  of  these  princelets,  he  calmly 
observed,  '  If  his  highness  wuU  deign  to  look  out  of  his  palace 


448  MORITZ   G.   SAPHIR. 

windows,  he  will  see  me  crossing  the  frontier  of  his  dominions.' 
On  another  occasion  the  King  of  Bavaria,  who  was  fond  of 
dabbling  in  poetry,  ordered  him  to  leave  the  country  within 
twenty-four  hours.  On  being  asked  whether  he  could  get 
away  in  so  short  a  time,  he  answered,  *  Oh,  certainly  !  For, 
if  my  own  feet  will  not  carry  me  with  sufficient  rapidity,  I 
can  always  borrow  some  of  the  superfluous  feet  in  his  Majesty's 
last  volume  of  poems.'  " 

An  author,  jealous  of  Saphir's  fame,  taxed  him  with  writing 
for  money.  "  I  do  not  act  thus,"  he  continued,  drawing  himself 
up  proudly,  ''  I  write  for  fame  !  "  "I  admit  the  soft  impeach- 
ment," rejoined  Saphir.  "  Every  one  writes  for  that  which  he 
most  grievously  lacks  :  I  lack  money,  you  lack  fame." 

An  acquaintance  once  said  to  Saphir,  "  Making  debts  ruins 
a  man."  "  My  experience  is  different,"  dryly  observed  Saphir, 
*'  I  find  that  paying  debts  ruins  me." 

Mrs.  Amery,  Dr.  Saphir's  cousin,  writes  of  other  relations 
who  were  distinguished  : — 

"  A  cousin  of  dear  Dr.  Saphir,  Karl  Saphir,  is  still  living, 
and  seventy-four  years  old.  He  is  one  of  the  professors  of 
the  Musical  Academy  at  Buda-Pest.  Another  cousin  of  Dr. 
Saphir  was  the  sub-editor  of  a  principal  Vienna  journal,  and 
only  recently  died.  Two  others  were  well-known  doctors  in 
Hungary — and  a  female  cousin  was  devoted,  the  last  twenty- 
five  years  of  her  life,  to  the  Froebel  Schools  of  Buda-Pest,  and 
to  the  training  of  teachers  on  the  Froebel  system  for  Hungary. 
The  Emperor  of  Austria,  King  of  Hungary,  decorated  her  for 
her  services  to  education." 


THE    EXD. 


?  M    ' 


Siiiiif™"' 


'"0315022293 


^l 


